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THE 


MASS  AND  RUBRICS 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 

TRANSLATED  INTO  ENGLISH. 

WITH   NOTES   AND   REMARKS. 

BY  THE 

REV.  JOHN  ROGERSON  COTTER,  A.  M„ 

RECTOR  OF  INNISHANNON;    AUTHOR  OF  "  QUESTIONS  ON 
ST.   MATTHEW    AND    OTHER    GOSPELS." 

"  Prove  all  things,  hold  fast  that  which  is  good."— 1  Thess.  v.  21. 


NEW  YORK: 
D.  APPLETON  &  CO.,  200  B'ROADWAY 

PHILADELPHIA  : 

GEO.  S.  APPLETON,  MS  CTiESNUT  ST. 

CINCINNATI  :-DERBY,  BRADLEY,  &c  CO.,  1*3  MAIN  ST. 

MDCCCXLVI, 


THE  ORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

A8TOH,  LENOX   AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS. 

Ib99 


INTRODUCTION. 


Many  are  the  controversial  works  describing 
the  differences  between  the  Roman  Catholic 
and  Protestant  creeds,  which  have  been  sent 
forth  by  the  press  ;  but  it  has  frequently  occur- 
red to  me  as  strange,  that  no  work  (at  least  I 
have  been  unable  to  discover  any)  has  been 
published,  descriptive  of  the.  forms  and  services 
of  the  Roman  Mass.  This  appeared  to  me  to 
be  an  important  "  desideratum."  There  are 
partial  translations,  published  for  the  use  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  laity ;  but  nothing  has  been 
done  to  give  a  translation  of,  and  comments  up- 
on, the  entire  Mass  with  its  Rubrics.  This 
want  I  have  endeavored  to  supply,  convinced 
that  the  plan  is  most  important,  and  the  pro- 
posed object  most  valuable,  as  the  parties  inter- 
ested have  the  means  before  them  of  detecting 


INTRODUCTION. 


any  errors  or  misstatements,  which,  if  they  ex- 
ist, are  unintentional. 

To  be  understood  by  the  lowest  capacity  has 
been  a  chief  object,  and  hence,  plainness  in 
language  and  composition  has  been  particularly 
studied.  An  endeavor  has  also  been  made,  to 
avoid  all  harsh  and  irritating  language,  being  ful- 
ly impressed  that  it  is  not  by  such,  truth  ought 
to  be  maintained.  Should  any  expression  met 
with  in  the  following  pages  appear  to  militate 
against  this  declaration,  I  have  only  again  to  as- 
sert, such  is  unintentional  on  my  part,  and  that 
nothing  is  farther  from  my  wishes  than  to  give 
offence. 

JOHN  R.  COTTER. 

May  1,  1845. 


MASS  AND  RUBRICS 


THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


My  dear  Roman  Catholic  Brethren — 

It  has  frequently  excited  the  astonishment  of 
many,  why,  in  these  days  of  scriptural  light,  you  should 
remain  apparently  so  attached  to  the  religion  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  ;  that  you,  many  of  whom  are  intelli- 
gent and  well-informed  persons,  should,  while  you  pro- 
fess to  be  servants  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  hold  senti- 
ments and  doctrines  opposed  to  those  which  are  clearly 
and  plainly  set  forth  in  God's  inspired  word,  by  our 
Lord  himself  and  his  holy  Apostles,  whom  you  profess 
to  reverence.  You  are  taught  to  value  yourselves  upon 
belonging  to  the  most  ancient  Church,  which  you  are 
also  taught  is  the  mistress  of  all  other  churches.  It  is 
carefully  impressed  upon  you,  that  every  article  of  faith 
to  which  you  are  required  to  give  assent,  comes  down 
to  you  from  the  remotest  antiquity ;  that  all  other  bodies 
of  professing  Christians  are  only  upstarts  and  holders 
of  novelties  ;  and  that  you  are  fully  justified,  as  belong- 
ing to  a  church  which  cannot  err,  in  looking  down  upon 
all  others  with  contempt.  You  are  taught  to  inquire 
triumphantly  of  us  Protestants — "  Where  was  your  re- 
ligion before  Luther'?"  implying  that  the  doctrines  we 
hold  and  the  principles  we  profess,  were  only  known  in 
the  Christian  world  since  the  time  of  Luther,  or  little 
more  than  three  hundred  years,  and  consequently  must 
be  mere  modern  inventions. 
1* 


6  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

You  are  in  great  ignorance  upon  this  subject.  You 
cannot  prove  any  doctrine  held  by  the  Reformed  Church- 
es to  be  a  novelty,  or  less  ancient  than  the  times  of  the 
Apostles.  In  the  great  fundamental  truths  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  you  profess  to  agree  with  us ;  and  I  trust, 
with  the  Divine  aid,  to  show  you,  that  those  doctrines 
upon  which  your  church  and  ours  differ,  and  which  we 
reject  as  being  inconsistent  with,  nay,  contradictory  to, 
those  fundamentals  which  we  in  common  admit,  are 
those  which  have  been  added  from  time  to  time  by  your 
church,  at  comparatively  modern  periods.  The  mode 
I  shall  adopt  to  establish  this  position  is  as  follows.  I 
shall  translate  your  own  service,  which  you  call  the 
"  Mass,"  into  English,  and  prove  to  you  from  the  prayers 
of  the  Mass  itself — First,  that  it  is  contradictory  to 
God's  own  word ;  Secondly,  that  it  is  at  variance  with 
the  practices  of  the  ancient  Christian  Church  ;  and, 
Thirdly,  that  one  part  contradicts  another,  and  also 
contradicts  several  of  your  own  favorite  doctrines.  In 
order  to  prevent  the  charge  of  misrepresentation,  I  shall 
bring  forward  your  own  authorities.  Your  own  trans- 
lation of  the  Testament,  however  obscure  and  corrupt 
we  believe  it  to  be  in  many  places,  shall  be  used. 

In  the  Mass  it  is  intended  to  celebrate  the  Lord's 
Supper,  or  the  Eucharist,  as  it  is  termed,  which  word 
signifies  "  thanksgiving."  Our  blessed  Lord,  we  learn, 
by  reference  to  the  Gospels,  instituted  his  last  supper 
the  night  before  his  crucifixion.  We  are  told  by  the 
inspired  Evangelists  of  the  mode  in  which  the  disciples 
partook  of  it — how  the  Lord  Jesus  commanded  them  to 
do  the  same  for  a  commemoration  of  Him.  Luke  xxii. 
19.  And  we  are  also  informed,  Matt,  xxviii.  18,  how, 
previous  to  his  ascension,  he  commanded  his  disciples 
to  "  go  and  teach  all  nations  to  observe  all  those  things 
which  he  had  commanded  them  ;"  and  he  said,  "  Lo,  I 
am  with  you  always  to  the  consummation  of  the  world." 
"  All  power,"  said  he,  "  is  given  to  me  in  heaven  and 
inearth;"  thus  impressing  upon  his  disciples,  that  he 
would  exercise  his  authority  upon  his  church  ;  that  he 
would  watch  over  the  pastors  and  teachers,  that  they 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.         7 

may  only  inculcate  those  doctrines  which  he  taught, 
and,  as  Peter  says,  1  Epistle,  chap.  v.  verses  2,  4 : 
"  When  the  Prince  of  pastors  shall  appear,  such  as 
faithfully  feed  the  flock  of  God  shall  receive  a  never- 
fading  crown  of  glory." 

Let  us  now  compare  the  ceremonies  of  the  Mass  and 
the  Supper  of  our  Lord.  Such  are  the  differences,  so 
striking  are  the  dissimilarities,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
say  with  truth  that  the  one  is  a  representation  of  the 
other.  If  I  can  prove  this  assertion,  how  can  it  be  said 
that  you  comply  with  the  commands  of  our  Lord  in  its 
celebration  ?  And  here  I  may  well  complain  of  the 
additional  labor  imposed  upon  me  of  rendering  your 
prayers  and  formularies  into  English,  in  order  to  be 
understood  by  you  ;  and  is  it  not  a  strange  employment 
for  me  to  endeavor  to  make  you  understand  the  mean- 
ing of  your  own  Liturgies  1  You  cannot  plead  antiquity 
for  the  use  of  the  Latin  in  your  public  service.  K  you 
wish  for  the  ancient  original  language,  you  should  adopt 
the  Syriac  or  Hebrew,  as  one  of  these  was  the  lan- 
guage spoken  by  our  blessed  Lord  to  his  Apostles  at 
the  celebration  of  the  last  supper.  He  was  addressing 
persons  who  understood  the  language  in  which  he  spoke  ; 
but  you,  who  are  unacquainted  with  Latin,  know  noth- 
ing of  what  the  priest  is  saying.  And  besides,  you 
have  the  uniform  practice  of  antiquity  against  you. 
There  were  several  ancient  Liturgies  in  various  lan- 
guages from  the  beginning — St.  Cyril's,  St.  Clement's, 
St.  James's,  St.  Mark's,  St.  John  Chrysostom's,  the 
Ethiopic,  and  the  Roman.  Why  was  this,  but  to  suit 
the  languages  of  the  several  persons  who  were  present 
at  divine  worship !  I  refer  you,  upon  this  subject,  to  a 
work  of  the  Roman  Church  called  "  A  Collection  of  the 
principal  Liturgies  which  are  used  by  Greeks  and  other 
Schismatics,"  as  your  author  terms  them.  All  those 
persons  who  are  here  termed  schismatics  by  your  church, 
positively  assert  that  they  have  had  these  various  Lit- 
urgies in  their  own  languages  from  the  times  of  the 
Apostles.  I  mention  this  only  for  the  purpose  of  show- 
ing you  that  antiquity  gives  no  sanction  to  one  exclu- 


G  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

sive  Liturgy  or  language.  Origen  says,  Con.  Celsum, 
lib.  viii.  p.  402  :  "  The  Grecians  use  the  Greek  lan- 
guage in  their  prayers,  and  the  Romans  the  Roman, 
and  so  every  one  his  own."  The  popes  or  bishops  of 
Rome  gradually  compelled  the  various  European  na- 
tions who  used  their  own  language  in  the  celebration 
of  their  public  service,  to  adopt  the  Roman  or  Latin. 
This  is  fully  shown  in  many  parts  of  church  history. 

We  proceed  now  to  prove  from  Scripture,  that  this 
practice  of  using  a  language  in  the  service  of  the 
church,  not  understood  by  the  people,  is  absolutely  for- 
bidden. I  refer  you  to  the  14th  chapter  of  the  1st  Epis- 
tle to  the  Corinthians,  where  St.  Paul  says,  verse  8  ; 
';  If  the  trumpet  give  an  uncertain  sound,  who  shall  pre- 
pare himself  to  the  battle  ?  9  ;  So  likewise  you,  ex- 
cept you  utter  by  the  tongue  plain  speech,  how  shall  it 
be  known  what  is  spoken  1  for  you  shall  be  speaking 
into  the  air."  Read  on  the  10-16.  "  Else  if  thou  shalt 
bless  #ith  the  spirit,  how  shall  he  that  holdeth  the  place 
of  the  unlearned,  say  Amen  to  thy  blessing,  because  he 
knoweth  not  what  thou  say  est."  Again  St.  Paul  says, 
verse  19  ;  "  In  the  church  I  had  rather  speak  five  words 
with  my  understanding,  that  I  may  instruct  others  also, 
than  ten  thousand  words  in  a  tongue,"  a  strange  tongue. 
Mark  the  expression  in  the  church — that  is,  at  public 
worship.  Now,  I  propose  a  simple  question  to  you 
here — Does  your  church  follow  the  precept  of  the 
Apostle  Paul  ! — The  Saviour  saith,  "  He  that  heareth 
you,  heareth  me" — Luke  x.  16  ;  and  yet,  you  plainly 
and  openly  disregard  the  command  of  one  of  his  chosen 
apostles,  who  was  sent  forth  to  teach  and  enforce  those 
things  which  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  had  spoken.  "  But 
though  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  a  gospel  to 
you  besides  that  we  have  preached,  let  him  be  anathe- 
ma," or  accursed. — So  says  St.  Paul — Gal.  i.  8.  In  a 
note  I  read  in  the  Douay  Testament  upon  this  passage, 
respecting  the  use  of  unknown  languages  in  your  pub- 
lic church  services,  the  practice  is  attempted  to  be  justi- 
fied by  saying,  that  the  Latin,  so  far  from  being  an  un- 
known tongue,  is  perhaps  the  best  known  tongue  in  the 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.         9 

world.  Is  the  writer  of  this  note  serious  in  supposing 
he  can  make  void  the  command  of  the  apostle  by  such 
an  assertion  1  French,  or  English,  or  German,  is  much 
more  extensively  spoken  and  understood  by  the  people 
in  Europe.  Latin  is  not  spoken  as  a  living  language 
now.  Many  among  you  would  rejoice  to  hear  your 
service  in  a  language  you  could  join  in,  and  repeat  the 
Amen.  This,  the  Apostle  says,  in  the  above  quotation, 
you  cannot  do,  not  knowing  what  is  said.  The  other 
formularies  and  prayers  of  your  church  are  also  in 
Latin — baptisms,  marriages,  extreme  unction — by  hear- 
ing which  you  are  but  little  edified. 

The  first  thing  you  do  when  you  attend  Mass  is  to 
sprinkle  yourselves  with  "  holy  water,"  contained  in  a 
stone  vessel  at  your  chapel  door.  In  what  part  of  the 
history  of  our  Lord's  Supper  do  we  find  this  practice 
mentioned  1  Where  do  the  apostles  of  our  blessed 
Lord  sanction  it  1  There  were  fountains  outside  the 
churches,  or  in  the  courts,  where  the  people  bathed 
their  faces  and  hands,  in  token  of  the  purity  they  should 
exhibit,  when  about  to  join  in  the  public  worship  of 
God.  We  find  several  of  the  ancient  fathers  alluding 
to  this.  Chrysostom,  in  the  fourth  century,  in  his  57th 
Homily,  speaks  of  these  fountains  as  things  of  common, 
use  ;  and  Tertullian  also  alludes  to  this  custom,  chap. 
II.  De  Oratore,  where  he  asks,  "  What  is  the  use  of 
going  into  prayers  with  washed  hands,  but  with  an  un- 
clean spirit  ?"  Perhaps  this  practice  was  grounded  on 
Hebrews  x.  22.  In  process  of  time,  the  original  de- 
sign and  custom  were  changed,  and  the  present  prac- 
tice was  introduced  of  the  priest  blessing  the  water, 
and  mixing  it  with  salt  to  prevent,  I  suppose,  its  be- 
coming putrid,  and  thus  teaching  you  that  it  was  hence- 
forth endued  with  particular  virtues.  Challoner,  in  his 
"  Catholic  Christian,"  tells  us  that  its  use  is  "  to  defend 
those  upon  whom  it  is  cast  from  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness." Thus,  we  find,  many  of  you  imagine  that  you 
are  complying  with  a  most  ancient  custom,  and  foolish- 
ly attribute  such  virtue  and  efficacy  to  this  water,  that 
you  even  carry  it  to  your  houses,  and  sprinkle  it  over 


10  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

you  at  your  private  devotion,  and  use  it  for  many  other 
superstitious  purposes.  We  repeat,  the  question — 
Where  is  the  sanction  of  antiquity  for  doing  so,  for 
many  hundred  years  after  our  blessed  Lord  ?  And  as 
for  the  scriptural  authorities,  which  your  Roman  Cath- 
olic writers  bring  forward  from  the  Old  Testament, 
Num.  v.  17,  and  xix.  9,  they  have  nothing  in  either 
case  to  do  with  your  practice..  In  the  one  instance  it 
was  drunk — why  do  not  you  drink  it  likewise?  and  I 
have  often  been  surprised  thai  you  who  profess  to  value 
it  so  highly,  do  not  drink  it. ;  that  by  its  thus  being 
brought  nearer  the  heart,  it  might  become  more  effica- 
cious in  keeping  off  the  influence  of  the  powers  of 
darkness  from  that  which  requires  the  greatest  purifica- 
tion. In  the  other  case,  it  refers  to  bathing  and  purify- 
ing the  body.  See  the  two  passages,  and  examine  for 
yourselves.  The  only  ancient  custom  which  at  all  re- 
sembles your  modern  practice,  prevailed  exclusively  in 
the  Heathen  Temples  ;  but  in  the  Christian  churches 
we  challenge  any  proof  that  it  prevailed  for  s<  vercU 
hundred  years  after  our  Lord.  It  is  a  comparative 
novelty,  copied  from  the  Heathens. 

You  also  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  when  you  cast 
the  holy  water  upon  you,  and  repeat,  "  In  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
One  fault  we  find  with  this  practice  is,  that  it  leads 
away  your  minds  from  subjects  which  constitute  your 
true  protection,  and  makes  you  depend  upon  external 
forms  of  no  value  ;  and  I  am  not  surprised  at  your  doing 
so,  when  Challoner,  in  his  "Catholic  Christian,"  tells 
you,  when  speaking  about  the  use  of  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  "  that  it  was  used  of  old  by  the  Holy  Fathers  as 
an  invincible  buckler  against  the  devil,  and  a  powerful 
means  to  dissipate  his  illusions." 

Now  here  are  two  practices  of  your  church — holy 
water  and  "crossing  yourselves"  to  avert  the  influence 
of  evil  spirits — and  not  a  sentence  is  to  be  found  in  the 
writings  of  the  holy  apostles  to  justify  your  conduct  in 
either.  When  we  hear  our  blessed  Lord  resisting  the 
temptations  of  the  devil,  is  it  by  having  recourse  to  such 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        11 

means  ?  No  ;  he  combated  the  Evil  Spirit  by  reference 
to  the  written  Word  of  God ;  and  we  are  informed, 
Matt.  iv.  11,  that  the  devil,  thus  foiled,  left  Him ;  and 
does  not  Peter  tell  us  to  "  resist  strong  in  faith"  our  ad- 
versary the  devil,  who  goeth  about  as  a  roaring  lion, 
seeking  whom  he  may  devour  1 — 1  Pet.  v.  8,  9.  Hear 
St.  Paul's  advice  also,  Eph.  vi.  11 — "Put  you  on  the 
armor  of  God,  that  you  may  be  able  to  stand  against 
the  deceits  of  the  devil ;"  in  verse  16 — "  In  all  things 
taking  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  you  may  be  able 
to  extinguish  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  most  wicked  one" 
— mark  this  expression  all;  verse  18 — "  By  all  prayer 
and  supplications,  praying  at  all  times  in  the  spirit." 
Where  do  you  find  any  of  the  inspired  Apostles  recom- 
mending "  crossings"  or  "  sprinklings  with  holy  water" 
to  keep  away  evil  spirits  ?  Reference  to  God's  Word, 
prayer,  watchfulness,  supplications,  strength  in  the  faith 
in  Jesus,  are  the  means  they  taught.  Were  they  less 
able  than  you  to  resist  ]  Upon  your  principles,  you 
have  many  advantages  of  which  they  knew  nothing. 
Where,  then,  in  these  instances,  is  your  boasted  an- 
tiquity ;  and  how  can  you  condemn  those  who  humbly 
endeavor  to  follow  only  those  doctrines  and  practices 
which  are  set  forth  in  God's  own  Word  1 

We  now  suppose  you  arrived  within  the  church  or 
chapel  to  hear  what  you  call  "  Mass."  Do  you  know 
the  meaning  of  the  word  1  It  signifies  "  a  sending 
away."  At  the  conclusion  of  your  present  service,  you 
may  remember,  the  priest  says,  in  Latin,  "  Ite  Missa 
est."  In  the  Pocket  Missal  we  find  the  following  trans- 
lation of  the  words  ;  page  43,  edition  1805  : — Depart, 
mass  is  finished  ;  Missa  or  Missio,  are  two  Latin  words, 
signifying  "  sending  away."  The  literal  translation  is, 
"Ite — depart,  Missa  est — it  is  the  sending  away." 
Now,  from  the  place  where  we  find  this  expression,  we 
learn  an  additional  proof  of  how  your  church  has  de- 
parted from  ancient  custom.  How  you  can  pride  your- 
selves upon  your  antiquity  is  wonderful ;  as  I  shall 
prove  that  you  have  but  little  reason  for  doing  so.  The 
celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  however  changed  it 


12  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

may  be  now,  by  your  various  innovations  and  altera- 
tions, was  the  foundation  of  what  you  call  the  Mass. 
And,  by  examining  where  these  words,  "  Ite  missa  est," 
were  placed  at  first,  and  examining  where  they  are 
now,  we  shall  be  assisted,  not  only  in  discovering  some 
of  the  changes  which  have  taken  place,  but  also  the 
original  object  and  design  of  the  church  in  adopting  the 
expression.  Those  words  were  formerly  placed  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Lord's  Supper  or  sacramental  service 
in  the  Roman  liturgy.  In  primitive  times  there  were 
two  distinct  services  ;  to  the  first,  all  wore  indiscrimi- 
nately admitted  ;  such  persons  as  were  not  yet  baptized, 
but  were  waiting  for  further  instruction,  and  were  called 
catechumens,  from  being  catechized,  as  the  original 
word  signifies,  and  those  who  came  from  curiosity  to 
learn  the  nature  of  the  Christian  faith;  those  also  who, 
from  having  committed  some  heinous  crime,  were  ex- 
cluded from  partaking  of  the  Eucharist,  were  admissi- 
ble to  the  first  service.  These  several  classes,  with 
the  sincere  and  faithful  baptized  believers,  remained  to- 
gether during  the  prayers  and  the  reading  of  portions 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  the  exhortation  or  sermon. 
At  the  conclusion  of  this  service,  the  officiating  deacon 
pronounced,  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Ite  missa  est ;"  thus  in- 
timating that  it  was  the  time  for  those  to  depart  who 
were  not  to  participate  in  the  sacred  feast.  From  this 
circumstance  the  service  which  followed  was  called 
"  Mass,"  which  appellation  it  has  retained  until  the 
present  day. 

You  will  find  this  view  of  the  subject  sanctioned  by 
Hornihold  in  his  work  called  "  Real  Principles  of  Catho- 
lics," p.  254  to  257,  which,  in  its  title-page,  contains 
the  expressed  approbation  of  several  other  Irish  Roman 
Catholic  prelates.  After  giving  some  other  explana- 
tions, which  appear  very  forced,  and  with  which  the 
doctor  himself  does  not  appear  satisfied,  he  adds,  that 
others  are  of  opinion  that  the  Mass  is  derived  from  the 
Latin  word  "  missio"  or  "  missa,"*  that  is.  "  dismission," 
or"  sending  away,"  because  the  catechumens  and  others 
were  formerly  dismissed,  as  not  being  permitted  to  be 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  13 

present  at  this  sacrifice,  only  from  the  beginning  till  the 
offertory ;  and  the  gospel  and  the  sermon  being  ended, 
the  deacon  publicly  said,  "  Ite  missa  est" — go  out  all 
you  who  are  infidels,  catechumens,  and  penitents,  for 
the  Mass  of  the  faithful  is  now  to  begin.  Hence  at  the 
end  of  the  Mass  the  words  "  Ite  missa  est"  are  still 
retained,  and  now  the  modern  meaning  is,  "  depart,  for 
the  Mass  is  ended."  The  words  are  now  used  at  the 
end  of  the  sacramental  service  in  one  sense ;  and  an- 
ciently they  were  used  at  the  commencement  with  quite 
a  different  meaning  attached  to  them. 

Consult  the  writers  of  antiquity — read  over  the  an- 
cient liturgies  or  formularies  of  the  celebration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  which  are  called  by  the  names  of  St. 
Peter,  St.  Barnabas,  St.  James,  or  that  of  Jerusalem, 
of  which  he  was  first  bishop,  or  that  of  St.  Mark — ex- 
amine the  several  liturgies  of  the  early  fathers,  St. 
Basil,  St.  Chrysostom,  and  that  of  St.  Ambrose,  &c, 
&c,  all  of  whom  flourished  not  later  than  the  fourth 
century  after  our  blessed  Lord,  and  you  will  find  no 
sanction  for  persons  being  present  at  the  communion 
who  did  not  partake  of  the  sacred  elements.  Justin 
Martyr,  who  lived  as  early  as  the  second  century  after 
our  Lord,  gives  the  following  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  Eucharist  was  celebrated  in  his  time.  My 
translation  is  taken  from  page  44  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic work,  upon  the  principal  ancient  liturgies,  published 
in  Dublin  in  the  year  1822,  by  Wogan.  "After  the 
believer  is  baptized,  and  made  one  with  us,  we  lead  him 
to  the  congregation  of  the  brethren,  as  we  call  them, 
and  then  pour  out  our  souls  with  great  fervor  in  common 
prayer,  both  for  ourselves,  for  the  persons  baptized,  and 
for  all  others  in  every  part  of  the  world,  that,  having 
embraced  the  truth,  our  lives  may  be  as  becometh  the 
gospel,  and  that  we  may  be  found  doers  of  the  word, 
and  so  at  length  attain  eternal  salvation.  We  salute 
one  another  with  a  kiss  at  the  end  of  prayer  :  after  this, 
bread  and  a  chalice  of  wine  and  water  are  brought  to 
the  bishop,  which  he  takes,  and  offers  up  praise  and 
glory  to  the  Father  of  all  things,  through  the  name  of 


14  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

His  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  the  thanksgiving  to 
God  for  vouchsafing  to  make  us  worthy  of  these,  his 
creatures,  is  a  prayer  of  more  than  ordinary  length. 
When  the  bishop  has  finished  the  prayers  and  the 
thanksgiving  service,  all  the  people  present  conclude 
with  an  audible  voice,  saying,  '  Amen,'  which,  in  the 
Hebrew  language,  signifies  '  So  be  it.'  The  eucharis- 
tical  office  being  thus  performed  by  the  bishop,  and  con- 
cluded with  the  acclamations  of  the  people,  those  we 
call  deacons  distribute  to  every  one  present  to  partake 
of  this  eucharistical  bread,  and  wine,  and  water,  and 
then  they  carry  it  to  the  absent."  Here,  then,  you  have 
an  account  of  the  mode  of  administering  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, so  far  back  as  the  second  century. 

I  will  now  quote  from  higher  and  more  ancient  au- 
thority, nay,  the  highest  and  most  ancient  of  all.  Open 
your  Testament,  1  Cor.  xi.  23  ;  there  St.  Paul  tells  us 
the  manner  he  directed  it  to  be  administered,  and  that 
not  of  his  own  will,  but  by  the  commands  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  himself,  by  whom  the  Lord's  Supper  was 
originally  instituted  ;  verse  23 — "  For  I  have  received 
of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  to  you,  that  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed, 
took  bread,  21 ;  and  giving  thanks,  broke  and  said, 
'  Take  ye,  and  eat :  this  is  my  body  which  shall  be  de- 
livered for  you.  This  do  for  the  commemoration  of 
me.'  25 ;  In  like  manner,  also,  the  chalice,  after  he 
had  supped,  saying,  '  This  chalice  is  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  my  blood — this  do  ye  as  often  as  vou  shall  drink 
it  for  the  commemoration  of  me.  For  as  often  as  you 
shall  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  chalice  you  show  the 
death  of  the  Lord  until  he  come,  27.'*  Wherefore, 
whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread,  or  drink  the  chalice  of 
the  Lord  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord,  28  ;  but  let  a  man  prove  himself,  and 
so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup,  29  ; 

*  Iltiw  entirely  at  variance  this  expression  is  with  the  doctrine  of 
our  Lord  being  "already  come,"  when,  as  the  Roman  Church  teaches, 
the  priest  brings  and  places  him  upon  the  altar,  and  worships  him  in 
the  form  of  a  wafer  ! 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        15 

for  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and 
drinketh  judgment  to  himself,  not  discerning  the  body 
of  the  Lord."  In  this  translation  there  are  some  dif- 
ferences from  the  Protestant  version ;  but  my  object  at 
present  is  not  to  institute  a  comparison  between  the 
relative  merits  of  the  two  translations,  or  to  prove  the 
erroneousness  of  yours,  but  to  show  you,  upon  the  au- 
thority of  what  you  admit  to  be  God's  own  Word,  how 
the  Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated  in  the  beginning — 
how  his  death  was  commemorated — and  to  prove  to  you, 
by  your  own  admission,  how  little  claim  to  antiquity  or 
Divine  sanction  the  greater  number  of  those  forms  and 
ceremonies  possess  which  have  been  introduced  into 
the  Mass  by  the  Popes  of  Rome. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  translate  the  various  prayers 
of  your  "  Mass,"  and  shall  make  such  comments  as  we 
advance,  as  may  serve  to  establish  my  three  positions 
— 1,  That  the  "  Mass"  contains  many  prayers  opposed 
to  God's  Word ;  2,  To  show  you  that  the  contents  of 
those  prayers,  and  many  of  its  formularies,  are  contrary 
to  the  practices  of  the  ancient  Christian  Church ;  3, 
That  one  part  of  the  Mass  contradicts  another  part, 
and  is  also  opposed  to  some  of  your  own  favorite 
tenets. 

ORDO    MISSjE  ;    THE    ORDER    OF    THE    MASS. 

Rubric. — Sacerdos  paratus  cum  ingreditur  ad  altare 
facta  illi  solita  reverentia,  signat  se  signo  crucis  a  fronte 
ad  pectus  et  clara  voce  dicit. 

Translation. — The  priest,  being  prepared  when  he 
approaches  to  the  altar,  having  made  the  accustomed 
reverence  to  it,  signs  himself  with  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
from  his  forehead  to  his  breast ;  and,  with  a  loud  voice, 
says — 

R. — In  nomine  Patris,  et  Filii,  et  Spiritus  Sancti. — 
Amen. 

T. — In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. — Amen. 


16  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

R. — Deinde  junctis  manibus  ante  pectus  incipit  anti- 

?honam.      Introibo  ad  altare  Dei,  Minister  res.     Ad 
)eum  qui  laetificat  juventutem  meam. 
T. — Then,  having  joined  his  hands  before  his  breast, 
he  begins  the  sentences  called  the  Antiphone — I  will 
enter  to  the  altar  of  God.     The  minister  or  clerk  an- 
swers— To  God  who  giveth  joy  to  my  youth. 

R. — Postea  alternatim  cum  ministris  dicit  sequentem 
Psalmum. 

T. — After  this  he  repeats  the  following  Psalm,  alter- 
nately with  the  ministers  or  clerks  : — 

Psalmus  42. — Judica  me,  Deus,  et  discerne  causam 
meam  de  gente  non  sancta  ;  ab  homine  iniquo  et  doloso 
erue  me.  M.  Quia  tu  es  Deus  fortitudo  mea ;  quare 
me  repulisti,  et  quare  tristis  incedo,  dum  aflligit  me  in- 
imicus  1  S.  Emitte  lucem  tuam  et  veritatem  tuam  ; 
ipsa  me  eduxerunt  et  adduxerunt  in  montem  sanctum 
tuam  et  in  tabernacula  tua.  M.  Et  introibo  ad  altare 
Dei ;  ad  Deum  qui  laetificat  juventutem  meam.  S. 
Confitebor  tibi  in  cythara,  Deus,  Deus  meus ;  quare 
tristis  es,  anima  mea,  et  quare  conturbas  me.  M.  Spera 
in  Deo,  quoniam  adhuc  confitebor  illi,  salutare  vultus 
mei,  et  Deus  meus.  S.  Gloria  Patri,  et  Filio,  et  Spi- 
ritui  Sancto.  M.  Sicut  erat  in  principio,  et  nunc,  et 
semper,  et  in  saecula  sseculorum.     Amen. 

Psalm  42. — Judge  me,  O  God,  and  distinguish  my 
cause  from  the  nation  that  is  not  holy  ;  from  the  unjust 
and  deceitful  man  deliver  me.  M.  Since  thou,  O  God, 
art  my  strength,  why  hast  thou  cast  me  off,  and  why  do 
I  go  sorrowful,  while  the  enemy  afflicteth  me.  Priest. 
Send  forth  thy  light  and  thy  truth  ;  they  have  conducted 
me  and  brought  me  to  thy  holy  mount,  and  unto  thy 
tabernacles.  M.  And  I  will  go  to  the  altar  of  God,  to 
God  who  giveth  joy  to  my  youth.  Priest.  I  will  praise 
Thee  upon  the  harp,  O  God,  my  God.  Why  art  Thou 
so  sad,  O  my  soul  \  and  why  dost  thou  disquiet  me  ? 
M.  Hope  in  God,  for  I  will  still  praise  Him  :  the  sal- 
vation of  my  countenance,  and  my  God.  Priest.  Glory 
be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        17 

M.  As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall 
be,  world  without  end.     Amen. 

R. — Sacerdos  repetit  Antiphonam.  Introibo  ad  al- 
tare  Dei.  M.  Ad  Deum  qui  laetificat  juventutem 
meam. 

T. — The  priest  repeats  the  Antiphone.  I  will  go 
unto  the  altar  of  God.  Res.  To  God  who  giveth  joy- 
to  my  youth. 

R. — Signat  se  dicens.  Adjutorium  nostrum  in  no- 
mine Domini.     Res.  Qui  fecit  caelum  et  tellus. 

T. — He  signs  himself  with  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
saying — Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Res. 
Who  made  heaven  and  earth. 

R. — Deinde  junctis  manibus,  profunde  inclinatus  facit 
confessionem. 

T. — Then  having  joined  his  hands,  and  bowing  lowly, 
he  makes  the  confession. 

R. — In  missis  defunctorum  et  in  missis  de  tempore, 
a  dominica  passionis  usque  ad  sabbatum  sanctum  ex- 
clusive, omittitur  Psalmus  "  Judica  me  Deus  ;"  cum 
"  Gloria  Patri"  et  repetitio  Antiphonag  sed  dicto  "  In 
nomine  Patris."  "  Introibo"  et  "adjutorium"  fit  con- 
fessio  ut  sequitur. 

T. — In  masses  for  the  dead  and  in  masses  during 
Passion  week,  the  Psalm  commencing  with  "  Judge  me, 
0  God,"  also  the  "  Glory  be  to  the  Father,"  and  the 
repetition  of  the  Antiphone,  are  omitted ;  but  having 
said  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father,"  &c,  the  Introibo 
and  the  adjutorium,  Confession  is  made  as  follows  : — 

R. — Confitcor  Deo  omnipotenti,  beatae  Marias  semper 
Virgini,  beato  Michaeli  Archangelo,  beato  Johanni  Bap- 
tistae,  Sanctis  Apostolis  Petro  et  Paulo,  omnibus  Sanctis, 
et  vobis  fratres,  (vel  tibi  Pater,)  quia  peccavi  nimis 
cogitatione,  verbo,  et  opere,  (percutit  sibi  pectus  ter 
dicens :)  mea  culpa,  mea  culpa,  mea  maxima  culpa. 
Ideo  precor  bcatam  Mariam  semper  Virginem,  beatum 
Michaelum  Archangelum,    beatum  Johannem   Baptis- 


18  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

tarn,  sanctos  Apostolos  Petrum  et  Paulum,  omnes  sanc- 
tos,  et  vos  fratres,  (vel  te  Pater,)  orare  pro  me  ad 
Dominum  Deum  nostrum. 

T. — I  confess  to  Almighty  God,  to  blessed  Mary,  ever 
a  virgin,  to  blessed  Michael  the  Archangel,  to  blessed 
John  the  Baptist,  to  the  Holy  Apostles  Peter  and  Paul, 
to  all  the  saints,  and  to  you,  brethren,  (or  to  you,  Fa- 
ther,) that  I  have  sinned  exceedingly,  both  in  thought, 
word,  and  deed,  (he  here  strikes  his  breast  three  times,) 
through  my  fault,  through  my  fault,  through  my  most 
grievous  fault.  Therefore,  I  beseech  the  blessed  Mary, 
ever  a  virgin,  blessed  Michael  the  Archangel,  blessed 
John  the  Baptist,  the  Holy  Apostles  Peter  and  Paul, 
and  all  the  saints,  and  you  brethren,  (or  you  Father,)  to 
pray  to  our  Lord  God  for  me. 

MINISTRI    RESPONDENT.       THE   MINISTERS   OR  CLERKS   AN- 
SWER. 

Misereatur  tui  omnipotens  Dei,  et  dimissis  peccatis 
tuis,  perducat  te  ad  vitam  aeternam. 

T. — May  Almighty  God  have  mercy  upon  you,  and, 
forgiving  all  your  sins,  bring  you  to  everlasting  life. 

R. — Sacerdos  dicit  "  Amen,"  et  erigit  se. 

T. — The  priest  says  "Amen,"  and  raises  himself  up. 

R. — Deinde  ministri  repetunt  confessioncm,  et  ubi  a 
sacerdote  dicebatur  "  Vobis  fratres,"  et  "  vos  fratres," 
a  ministris  dicitur  "  tibi,  Pater"  et  "te  Pater." 

T. — Then  the  ministers  repeat  the  confession,  and 
where  it  is  said  by  the  priest,  "  To  you,  brethren,"  and 
"  you,  brethren,"  the  ministers  or  clerks  say,  on  the 
part  of  the  people,  "  To  you,  0  Father,"  and  "  you, 
Father ;"  meaning  the  priest. 

We  now  challenge  the  Church  of  Rome  to  prove 
that  there  was  any  such  form  of  confession,  any  such 
prayer  used  in  the  Church  for  one  thousand  years  after 
our  blessed  Lord.  The  prayer  is  an  innovation  contain- 
ing doctrines  unknown  to  the  ancient  Church.  There 
is,  in  the  first  place,  confession  to  the  saints  who  are  in 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.         19 

glory.  You  are  not  content  with  confession  to  God, 
but  you  also  introduce  a  form,  for  which  no  warrant 
can  be  produced  either  from  the  word  of  God  or  from 
antiquity,  and  then,  not  satisfied  with  confessing  to 
them,  you  call  on  them  to  "  pray  to  the  Lord  our 
God  for  you."  Now  it  will  perhaps  appear  strange 
to  you  to  hear  that  even  your  Roman  Church  does  not 
consider  the  invocation  of  saints  as  essential.  Milner, 
in  his  "  End  of  Controversy" — a  standard  polemical 
book  on  the  Roman  Catholic  side — speaking  on  this 
subject,  says,  Letter  33,  part  3  : — "  The  Council  of 
Trent,  which  was  held  only  three  hundred  years  ago 
and  since  the  Reformation,  barely  teaches  that  '  it  is 
good  and  profitable  to  invoke  the  prayers  of  the  saints,' 
hence  our  divines  infer  that  there  is  no  positive  law  of 
the  Church  incumbent  on  all  her  children  to  pray  to  the 
saints."  So  that  you  see  it  is  not  considered  essential. 
We,  Protestants,  reject  the  practice  because  it  is  not  a 
primitive  custom,  and  above  all,  not  sanctioned  by  God's 
word  ;  nay,  we  shall  show  that  we  are  specially  warned 
against  the  practice. 

Roman  Catholics  justify  themselves  in  doing  so — 
mark,  we  only  speak  of  invoking  their  help  or  interces- 
sion ;  for,  as  to  confessing  to  them,  we  really  know  not 
upon  what  rational  grounds  such  a  practice  is  founded 
— by  the  following  arguments  : 

1.  That  God  is  such  a  glorious  and  almighty  Being, 
that  it  would  be  the  height  of  presumption  in  us  to  ap- 
proach Him  without  a  mediator,  and  hence,  that  it  is 
of  the  greatest  consequence  to  have  the  blessed  saints 
in  heaven,  to  offer  up,  and  advocate  the  subject  matter 
of  our  prayers.  They  argue,  secondly,  that  the  mother 
of  our  Lord  according  to  the  flesh,  must  naturally  be 
supposed  to  possess  great  influence  over  her  son,  and 
that  our  prayers  presented  by  her,  and  accompanied 
with  her  intercession,  must  produce  a  greater  effect 
upon  him,  than  if  offered  up  unaccompanied  with  such 
recommendation.  They  also  say,  thirdly,  that  if  it  be 
useful,  and  sanctioned  by  the  Scriptures,  to  solicit  the 
prayers  of  the  saints  upon  earth — Ephes.  vi.  18,  19  ; 


20  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

James  v.  16 — it  must  be  infinitely  more  important  and 
valuable  to  obtain  the  assistance  of  those  who  are  in 
heaven. 

I  have  fairly  and  impartially  stated  the  chief  argu- 
ments used  by  you  in  favor  of  this  practice.  We  as- 
sert that  this  difference  among  Roman  Catholic  divines, 
as  alluded  to  above,  in  asserting  the  universal  obligation 
of  soliciting  the  intercession  of  the  saints  in  heaven, 
would  be  sufficient  to  justify  Protestants  from  abstain- 
ing from  the  practice,  even  supposing  they  were  in- 
fluenced by  no  other  reasons ;  but,  my  dear  brethren, 
many  causes,  derived  both  from  Scripture  and  antiquity, 
prevent  our  doing  so.  I  shall  endeavor  to  answer  your 
arguments  in  succession. 

1.  Your  Church  tells  you  "that  God  is  such  a  holy 
Being  that  it  would  be  too  presumptuous  for  us,  miser- 
able sinners  as  we  are,  to  approach  without  a  mediator." 
Blessed  be  the  wisdom  and  the  mercy  of  God,  he  has 
not  left  us  without  the  means  of  knowing  what  his  will 
is.  Our  blessed  Lord,  when  he  commanded  his  disci- 
ples to  teach  those  things  which  he  taught  them,  sup- 
plied us  with  means  for  ascertaining  what  those  things 
were.  He  promised  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter, 
who  was  to  come  to  them,  after  he  was  removed  to  his 
Father's  right  hand,  as  we  say  in  the  Apostles'  Creed, 
and  taught  by  the  Apostle  Paul,  Hcb.  i.  3,  4.  1  Peter 
iii.  22  and  Mark  xvi.  19  ;  Luke  xxii.  69.  Our  Lord 
told  them,  "  The  Paraclete,  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the 
Father  will  send  in  my  name.  He  will  teach  you  all 
things  and  bring  all  things  to  your  mind  whatsoever  I 
shall  have  said  unto  you,"  John  xiv.  26.  Again,  our 
Lord  says,  "  And  you  shall  give  testimony  because  you 
are  with  me  from  the  beginning,"  John  xv.  27.  Again 
he  says,  "  But  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come  he 
will  teach  you  all  truth,"  John  xvi.  13.  Nothing  can 
be  more  express  and  plain  than  what  our  Lord  says  : 
"  If  any  man  hear  my  words  and  keep  them  not,  I  do 
not  judge  him,  for  I  come  not  to  judge  the  world  but  to 
save  the  world.  He  that  despiseth  me,  and  receiveth 
not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him :  the  word 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        21 

that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last 
day,"  John  xii.  47,  48. 

Thus,  the  Holy  Scriptures — books  written  by  God's 
inspired  servants,  who  were  prevented  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  from  setting  down  any  thing  but  the  truth — as 
the  Psalmist  expresses  it,  were  to  serve  as  "  a  lamp  unto 
our  feet  and  a  light  unto  our  paths  ;"  Psalm  cxix.  115. 
Surely  our  blessed  Lord  is  sufficient  authority  upon  this 
subject.  We  hear  him  saying  in  his  sermon  on  the 
mount,  Matt.  vii.  8,  9  ;  "  What  man  is  there  among  you 
of  whom  if  his  son  ask  bread,  will  he  give  him  a  stone, 
or  if  he  ask  of  him  a  fish,  will  he  reach  him  a  serpent  ] 
If  you,  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts 
to  your  children,  how  much  more  will  your  Father  who 
is  in  heaven  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him* 
What  greater  encouragement  can  we  require  than  this 
invitation.  Did  our  blessed  Lord  when  asked  by  his 
disciples  to  teach  them  to  pray,  desire  them  to  have  re- 
course to  the  intercession  of  saints  and  angels  to  pre- 
sent their  petitions  to  God  ?  No — he  taught  them  to 
go  at  once  to  their  Father  ;  he  taught  them  to  call  him 
by  that  endearing  title — that  though  he  was  in  heaven 
and  removed  to  an  infinite  degree  above  them,  still  they 
were  to  look  upon  him  as  their  Father.  Instructing  us 
to  consider  God  as  a  Father,  reconciled  to  us  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Mark  the  expression — "  ask 
him"  To  ask  him  directly  without  any  other  media- 
tion than  that  which  our  Lord  has  supplied  in  himself. 
Where  is  the  necessity  of  saints  in  heaven,  or  angels 
to  interfere  1  Must  not  an  earthly  father  be  consider- 
ed harsh  and  cruel  if  it  be  necessary  for  other  persons 
to  intercede  with  him  in  behalf  of  his  own  child,  his 
own  flesh  and  blood,  to  induce  him  not  to  suffer  that 
child  to  starve  1  There  are  such  instances  to  be  found 
among  us,  but,  thank  God,  they  are  but  few,  though  we 
are  evil.  Can  we  doubt,  then,  whether,  as  our  Lord 
himself  inquires,  we  need  any  further  intercessors,  any 
further  interference  with  our  heavenly  Parent,  whom 
we  are  instructed  to  call  and  consider  our  Father,  to 
induce  him  to  listen  with  favor  to  the  petitions  of  his 


22  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

children,  for  whose  sake  his  blessed  Son  shed  his  blood 
upon  the  cross  ?  Away,  brethren,  with  such  doubts  ; 
for,  as  our  Lord  says,  John  iii.  16,  "  God  so  loved  the 
world,  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  may  not  perish  but  may  have  life  ever- 
lasting." 

2.  The  second  argument  which  Roman  Catholics 
bring  forward  to  justify  their  soliciting  the  intercession 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  is,  "  that  the  mother  of  our  Lord 
according  to  the  flesh,  must  naturally  possess  great  in- 
fluence with  her  son,  and  that  our  prayers  presented  by 
her,  and  accompanied  with  her  intercession,  must  be 
more  successful  than  if  offered  up  by  ourselves  alone.1' 
Protestants  deny  the  force  of  this  argument  in  reference 
to  the  way  God  deals  with  the  world  as  set  forth  in  his 
revealed  word.  They  also  deny  its  force  upon  princi- 
ples prevailing  among  men.  If  any  of  us  who  profess 
to  be  persons  of  truth  and  honesty,  make  a  promise,  say 
to  pay  our  servants  or  workmen  their  wages,  would 
those  workmen  be  justified  in  applying  to  our  mother, 
supposing  her  to  be  living,  or  to  any  of  our  friends,  to 
entreat  them  to  interfere  with  us,  and  to  induce  us  to 
keep  our  engagements  made  to  them.  Should  we  be 
pleased  at  such  interferences— should  we  not  have  rea- 
son to  conclude  that  our  workmen  distrusted  our  honor, 
and  had  greater  confidence  in  that  of  our  mother  or  our 
friends  1  Romanists  may  here  say  that  though  this 
reasoning  be  just,  provided  we  did  not  repeatedly  of- 
fend, yet,  lest  the  Divine  patience  and  forbearance  may 
be  exhausted  by  renewed  transgression,  it  is  more  wise 
and  prudent  to  seek  after  such  intercessors.  This  ar- 
gument, Protestants  rejoin,  applies  not  to  the  relation  in 
which  man  stands  to  God.  The  Son  of  God,  Jesus 
Christ,  is  the  only  means  by  which  a  sinner  can  be  re- 
conciled to  God.  It  is  by  his  blood  alone  our  sins  are 
washed  away.  He  paid  the  ransom  of  all  sins,  both 
original  and  actual,  however  often  repeated,  and  the 
Church,  as  the  Roman  Catholic  Catechism  of  Butler 
states,  in  support  of  this  view,  offers,  to  satisfy  the 
offended  justice  of  God  for  our  sins,  the  merits  of 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        23 

Christ,  which  are  infinite  and  superabundant  .*  The 
Apostle  John,  1  Epis.  ii.  6,  confirms  this  fundamen- 
tal doctrine  where  he  says — "  If  any  man  sin,  we 
have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the 
just."  St.  Paul,  also,  tells  us,  1  Tim.  ii.  5,  ';  There  is 
one  God  and  one  mediator  of  God  and  man,  the  man 
Jesus  Christ."  Why,  after  this  declaration  of  the  in- 
spired apostles,  should  we  have  recourse  to  any  other  1 
— and  St.  Paul  says,  Heb.  vii.  25 — more  fully  to  con- 
firm and  explain  what  he  had  been  teaching,  "  He  is 
able  to  save  for  ever  them  that  come  unto  God  by  him- 
self, always  living-  to  make  intercession  for  us."  And 
Jesus  himself  tells  us,  John  xvi.  23  ;  "  If  you  ask  the 
Father  any  thing  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  to  you." 

Do  you  believe  the  assurance  here  given  by  the  holy 
Apostles  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ]  If  you  suppose 
that  our  blessed  Lord  and  his  inspired  apostles  are  safe 
guides  and  sufficient  teachers,  why  have  you  recourse  to 
the  intercession  of  any  other  1  Is  there  any  sin  for 
which  the  blood  of  Jesus  cannot  atone  1  Is  there  any 
more  merciful  than  he,  any  more  kind,  more  compas- 
sionate 1  Surely  he  became  man  like  unto  us,  save 
only  as  to  sin — of  whom,  as  St.  Paul  says,  "  Seeing 
then  that  we  have  a  great  High  Priest  that  hath  passed 
into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast 
our  confession,  for  we  have  not  a  High  Priest,  who 
cannot  have  compassion  on  our  infirmities,  but  one, 
tempted  in  all  things  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin. 
Let  us  go  therefore  with  confidence  to  the  throne  of 
grace  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  in  sea- 
sonable aid."f  Heb.  iv.  14,  16  ;  see  also  Heb.  ii.  17. 
18. 

We  next  consider  the  third  reason  advanced  to  justify 
the  invocation  of  saints.  Your  teachers  assert,  "  if  it 
be  lawful  to  solicit  the  prayers  of  our  friends  upon  earth, 

*  The  concluding  part  of  this  answer  is  sadly  opposed  to  the  be- 
ginning. 

t  This  is  one  of  many  passages  in  your  Testament,  which  are  trans- 
lated, wilfully,  obscurely;  so  that,  if  possible,  the  meaning  of  God's 
word  may  be  withheld  from  you  when  you  read  it. 


24  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

and  ask  their  intercession  in  our  behalf — which  is 
plainly  sanctioned  in  various  parts  of  God's  word — 
"  why  should  we  not  seek  the  prayers  of  the  saints  in 
heaven  ?"  Great,  indeed,  is  the  difference.  How  can 
we  ascertain  whether  they  are  in  the  place  you  call 
"  purgatory,"  or  in  heaven  1  How  can  they  know  our 
thoughts  1  Discerning  the  thoughts  constitutes  one  of 
the  attributes  of  the  godhead.  "  /  am  Ae,"  saith  the 
Saviour,  "  who  searcheth  the  reins  and  the  heart,''''  Rev. 
ii.  23,  as  much  as  to  tell  us  it  was  his  special  attribute 
as  God,  and  not  communicated  to  any  other.  Protest- 
ants solicit  their  Christian  friends  to  pray  for  them  ; 
but  it  is  only  when  they  are  present,  or  if  absent,  by 
writing — "  Confess  your  sins,  therefore,  one  to  another, 
and  pray  for  one  another,  for  the  continual  prayer  of  a 
just  man  availeth  much,"  James,  v.  26.  Mark  the  ex- 
pression man,  not  dead  saint.  Thus  we  see  that  our 
prayers  must  be  reciprocal,  as  if' all,  in  one  sense,  were 
equal  in  the  sight  of  God  :  but  this  principle  of  equality, 
or  reciprocity,  is  entirely  lost  sight  of  in  the  Roman 
practice,  as  none  of  you  would  think  of  praying  for  one 
of  the  saints  of  heaven  in  turn,  though  such  is  your 
most  inconsistent  practice  in  the  Mass. 

Again,  your  teachers  inquire,  if  the  one  practice  be 
allowed,  why  not  the  other  1  It  is  plain,  if  the  Holy 
Spirit  permitted  both,  permission  would  be  expressed 
for  both  ;  but  will  worship,  or  worship  of  men's  inven- 
tion, is  plainly  and  expressly  forbidden,  "  the  adoring  or 
worshipping  of  angels,  walking  in  things  we  have  not 
seen,  not  holding  the  Head,"  namety,  Jesus  our  only 
Mediator,  Col.  ii.  18.  And  we  see  the  sad  consequences 
of  your  not  following  the  rule  of  God's  word.  Your 
church  teaches  you  to  address  the  saints  and  angels,  as 
if  they  were  Gods.  You  talk  of  their  merits  in  the 
sight  of  God,  when  God's  word  tells  us  that  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  declares,  "  that  after  having  done  every 
thing  that  has  been  commanded,  still  we  are  but  unprofit- 
able servants,  having  done  that  only  which  was  our 
duty  to  do,"  Luke  xvii.  10 ;  and  for  which  we  have  no 
right  to  demand  a  recompense. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        25 

The  Holy  Spirit,  it  would  appear,  foreknew  the  dan- 
gerous errors  to  which  professors  of  the  gospel  were 
liable,  and  how  truly  remarkable  it  appears,  that  we 
should  find  so  many  passages  in  the  Gospels  cautioning 
us  against  the  very  errors  into  which  your  church  has 
fallen.  "  Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bare  thee,"  ex- 
claimed a  certain  woman,  as  recorded  in  the  gospel. 
Did  our  Lord  encourage  her  in  these  notions  respecting 
his  mother's  high  dignity,  as  taught  in  the  Roman 
church!  "Nay,"  said  he,  "yea,  rather  blessed  are. 
they  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it,"  Luke  xi. 
26,  27.  Mark  here,  the  special  blessing  pronounced 
upon  those  who  hear,  not  the  voice  of  your  church,  but 
"  the  word  of  God,  and  obey  it."  Again,  we  find,  as 
recorded,  Mat.  xii.  46,  that  one  said  unto  our  Lord  as 
he  was  speaking  to,  and  teaching  the  people,  "  Behold 
thy  mother  and  thy  brethren  stand  without,  seeking 
thee."  According  to  the  modern  Romish  doctrine,  the 
moment  he  received  the  message  he  would  have  has- 
tened to  his  mother,  and  complied  with  her  request ; 
but  how  did  he  act  ?  He  answered  him  that  told  him, 
"  Who  is  my  mother,  and  who  are  my  brethren'?"  and 
stretching  forth  his  hand  to  his  disciples,  he  said,  "  Be- 
hold my  mother  and  my  brethren,  for  whosoever  shall 
do  the  will  of  my  Father,  which  is  in  heaven,  the  same 
is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother." 

Here  we  find  two  important  doctrines  taught :  one, 
that  relationship,  according  to  the  flesh,  confers  no  in- 
fluence over  our  Lord,  who,  by  the  way,  never  called 
her,  mother,  in  any  part  of  Scripture — that  the  only  re- 
lationship he  acknowledges  in  his  mediatorial  capacity, 
is  that  of  his  Father,  and  next,  that,  doing  the  will  of 
God  his  Heavenly  Father,  through  divine  grace,  is  the 
only  evidence  to  show  that  a  spiritual  relationship  has 
been  obtained.  Again,  when  he  was  about  to  leave  this 
world,  we  find  him  addressing  his  mother,  who  was 
standing  beneath  the  cross,  and  John,  the  beloved  dis- 
ciple, and  saying  to  her,  "  Woman,  behold  thy  son  ;" 
John  xix.  25,  as  much  as  to  imply,  that  the  relation- 
ship, according  to  the  flesh,  was  about  to  terminate, 
3 


26  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

and  that  a  final  separation  in  that  respect  was  to  take 
place ;  and  in  saying  to  John  "  behold  thy  mother,"  it 
seems  clearly  shown  by  our  Lord,  that  he  wished  to 
discountenance  all  those  vain  notions  respecting  her 
power  and  influence  over  him  as  his  mother,  which 
gradually  crept  into  the  church.  It  is  also  worthy  of 
remark,  that  we  hear  nothing  more  of  the  blessed  Vir- 
gin, except  a  brief  mention  of  her  in  Acts  i.  14.  None 
of  the  apostles  speak  of  her  in  their  Epistles,  though, 
according  to  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  the  gospel  is  but 
very  imperfectly  preached,  if  her  power  and  influence 
are  not  most  prominently  set  forth. 

She  says,  "  all  generations  shall  call  me  blessed," 
and  Elizabeth  says,  "  Blessed  art  thou  among  women ;" 
but  this  proves  no  special  privilege  conferred  upon  her, 
for  our  Lord,  in  one  of  the  passages  quoted  above  de- 
clares— "Rather  blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of 
God  and  keep  it."  He  also  says,  Mat.  v.  2  :  "Blessed 
are  the  poor  in  spii-it'''  Jael,  the  wife  of  Heber,  was 
pronounced  "  blessed  above  women,"  Judges  v.  2  ;  and 
Judith  was  also  declared  to  be  blessed  of  Almighty  God 
for  evermore,  in  the  book  called  after  her  name,  Judith 
xv.  10,  and  which  you  receive  into  your  canon,  and 
consequently  admit  as  authority.  Your  church  carries 
her  errors  to  such  a  height,  that  you  repeat,  when 
"  telling  your  beads,"  ten  "  Hail  Marys"  to  one  "  Our 
Father."  Surely  if  that  blessed  saint  could  hear  you, 
such  vain  and  absurd  repetitions  of  the  same  words — 
condemned  by  our  Lord,  Mat.  vi.  7 — must  appear  as  if 
you  were  only  mocking  her.  If  you  addressed  an 
earthly  king  or  queen  in  that  apparently  senseless  man- 
ner, certainly  such  an  impression  would  be  produced. 

One  precept  we  find  recorded,  as  given  by  the  Vir- 
gin, and  why  is  it  not  obeyed  by  you  who  profess  to 
reverence  her  so  much  1  "  Whatsoever  he  saith  unto 
you  do  ye ;"  John  ii.  5.  She  tells  you  to  look  to  her 
Son  Jesus,  to  follow  his  commands,  as  revealed  in 
the  written  word,  and  not  her  own.  Jesus,  when  she 
interfered  about  the  wine,  said,  "Woman,  u  li.it  is  it  to 
me  and  to  thee,  mine  hour  is  not  yet  come  ]"    The  note 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        )i  t 

in  the  Douay  Testament  truly  says,  that  "  our  Lord's 
object,  in  this  reply,  was  to  give  a  lesson  to  his  disci- 
ples, that  in  the  functions  of  their  ministry  they  should 
not  be  put  out  of  their  way  by  any  consideration  of 
flesh  and  blood."  His  mother  appeared  to  be  conscious 
of  this,  and  therefore  directed  the  servants  to  take  their 
instructions  from  him  alone;  and,  surely,  this  is  our 
safest  way  to  act.  Where  does  Jesus  command  you  to 
confess  your  sins  to  her,  and  to  the  saints  and  angels, 
not  merely  asking  their  intercession,  the  danger  of 
which  we  have  clearly  proved  from  God's  word,  but 
confessing  your  sins  to  them,  making  them  equal  to 
God,  as  if  it  were  against  them  you  had  transgressed. 

Consult  the  ancient  liturgies  ;  the  only  confessions 
we  find  there,  are  to  God  and  the  several  persons  of  the 
Blessed  Trinity.  The  Apostle  Paul,  Col.  ii.  18,  cau- 
tions you  against  paying  religious  worship  to  angels,  in- 
fluenced by  false  humility,  as  supposing  that  God  is  too 
great  to  be  immediately  addressed,  and  not  holding 
Christ  as  the  Head,  the  only  Mediator.  And,  again, 
we  find  him  speaking  in  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  1  Tim. 
ii.  5,  warning  them  respecting  the  invocation  of  de- 
parted saints. 

Look  to  1  Tim.  iii.  2,  where  he  says — a  bishop  is  to 
be  the  husband  of  one  wife,  and  to  rule  his  children 
well,  and  verse  12,  deacons,  also ;  but,  in  chapter  4, 
verse  1,  he  says,  that  great  changes  will  take  place  in 
the  latter  times — "  Some  shall  depart  from  the  faith, 
giving  heed  to  spirits  of  error  and  doctrines  of  devils, 
speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy,  and  having  their  conscience 
seared,  forbidding  to  marry,  to  abstain  from  meats." 
This  is  a  most  remarkable  passage.  The  apostle  speaks 
of  the  lawfulness  of  the  marriage  of  the  clergy  in  chap- 
ter 3  ;  and  here,  in  the  commencement  of  the  fourth, 
he  says,  that  the  Spirit  expressly  saith,  or  foretells,  that 
in  the  last  times  such  permission  is  to  be  withheld,  and 
also  speaks  of  the  forbidding  of  meats,  as  your  church 
does  upon  particular  days,  thus  calling  the  abstaining 
from  flesh  "  fasting,"  when  it  is  most  remarkable,  that 
upon  the  only  occasions  when  our  Lord  fed  the  multi- 


28  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

tudes,  he  gave  them  bread  and  fish,  thus  plainly  re- 
buking the  erroneous  practice  of  your  church :  for 
surely  you  cannot  say,  that  when  our  Lord  was  thus 
feeding  the  multitudes  he  was  causing  them  to  fast.  "  1 
will  not  send  them  swayfasting"  said  our  blessed  Lord, 
"  lest  they  faint  in  the  way."     Mat.  xv.  32. 

The  Apostle  also  says,  "  that  in  latter  times  some  are 
to  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  spirits  of  error 
and  doctrines  of  devils" — thus  asserting  that  their  do- 
ing so  is  a  departure  from  the  true  faith.  The  original 
in  the  Latin  vulgate,  from  whence  your  English  trans- 
lation is  made,  is  "  doctrines  of  demons" — the  render- 
ing of  which,  by  the  word  "  devils,"  does  not  convey 
the  sense  of  the  passage,  or  the  meaning  of  the  Apos- 
tle. By  referring  to  various  authors,  you  will  find 
"  demons"  mean  either  good  or  bad  spirits.  Demons, 
according  to  the  theology  of  the  Gentiles  or  heathens, 
were  middle  powers  between  the  sovereign  gods  and 
mortal  men ;  and  by  consulting  various  passages  of 
holy  Scripture,  where  this  word  is  used,  you  will  find 
its  plural  translated  by  the  word  " gods,"  as  well  as  by 
the  word  "  devils,"  Acts  xvii.  18,  1  Cor.  x.  14,  20,  21, 
Rev.  ix.  20.  Thus  we  learn  that  the  apostle,  by  di- 
vine inspiration,  is  cautioning  those  whom  he  addresses, 
against  the  worship  concerning  demo  us,  or  of  any  in- 
termediate powers  between  God  and  man,  and,  speak- 
ing in  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  plainly  declares  that  this 
heresy  will  prevail,  as  we  say  it  does,  in  your  church. 
Epiphanius,  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  church,  who  lived 
in  the  fourth  century,  gives  the  same  interpretation  to 
this  passage,  and  quotes  it  against  the  Collyridians,  an- 
cient heretics,  so  called  from  offering  cakes,  as  the 
Greek  word  signifies,  to  the  blessed  Virgin,  and  calling 
her  the  Queen  of  Heaven  *  one  of  those  titles  which  the 
Roman  Church  of  the  present  day  gives  to  her.  He 
says,  "  she  is  to  be  honored  and  respected,  but  not  to 
be  adored  or  worshipped."     This  is  admitted  by  Du- 

*  The  ancient  idolaters,  as  mentioned  by  Jer.  xliv.  17,  18,  were 
condemned  for  burning  Incense  to  one  of  their  false  jioddesses,  whom 
they  called  by  this  identical  title  of  "  Queen  of  Heaven." 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        29 

pin,  an  eminent  Roman  Catholic  writer,  vol.  I.,  page 
297,  folio  ed.  1723.  Numberless  other  passages  can  be 
selected  from  the  early  fathers  of  the  church  to  the 
same  effect. 

We  find  also  a  decree  of  the  council  of  Laodicea, 
held  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  368,  against  those  who 
forsake  the  true  worship  of  the  one  God,  and  follow  the 
idolatrous  worship  of  angels,  canon  35  ;  and  you  may 
also  learn,  by  referring  to  the  ancient  liturgies,  that  the 
apostles  and  saints,  instead  of  being  prayed  to  and  con- 
fessed to,  are  nowhere  confessed  to,  but  are  prayed  for 
in  several — the  blessed  Virgin  herself  not  excepted,  but 
expressly  prayed  for  by  name  ;  and  in  your  Latin 
"  Mass"  we  shall  show  that  you  continue  this  most  an- 
cient corrupt  practice  of  praying  for  the  saints. 

To  prevent  any  mistake  as  to  the  reason  of  my  quo- 
ting any  of  the  fathers  of  the  early  church,  you  must 
understand  that  I  do  it  only  for  the  purpose  of  showing, 
by  their  evidence,  what  the  belief  of  the  church  was  at 
that  particular  period  when  they  lived.  As  to  attribute 
any  decisive  authority  to  them,  it  would  be  absurd,  be- 
cause they  frequently  contradict  themselves,  and  fre- 
quently each  other.  Their  works  have  been  also  cor- 
rupted and  interpolated  in  many  important  places,  as 
your  own  writers  admit.  The  same  reasoning  will  ap- 
ply to  the  ancient  liturgies — they  were  gradually  cor- 
rupted, and  doctrines  admitted,  not  to  be  found  in  the 
word  of  God.  If  we  look  for  truth,  let  us  go  to  the 
holy  scriptures,  which  have  come  down  to  us  pure  and 
unadulterated,  guarded  by  Christ,  the  true  Head  of  the 
church.  Surely  it  is  foolish,  as  well  as  sinful  in  the 
highest  degree,  to  leave  the  teaching  of  God  himself, 
as  set  forth  by  his  inspired  apostles,  and  to  follow  after 
the  sayings  of  uninspired  and  fallible  men,  in  opposi- 
tion to  his  own  revealed  word.  "  You  err,"  said  our 
Lord  to  the  Sadducees,  "  not  knowing  the  scriptures  ;" 
Matt.  xx.  29.  If  we  look  for  pure  water,  is  it  not  more 
natural  to  expect  to  find  it  at  the  fountain-head,  than  in 
the  streams  which  flow  at  a  distance,  which  are  subjf  t?t. 
to  every  defilement  ?  iS10n 

3* 


30  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

But  the  ''•  confiteor"  contains  other  matters  of  grave 
importance.  You  who  do  not  understand  Latin,  are  not 
perhaps  aware,  that  you  not  only  confess  to  God  and  to 
the  saints,  and  to  Michael  the  archangel,  but  also  to  the 
priest,  where  you  say  in  the  confiteor,  "  et  tibi  Paler" 
— "  and  to  you,  O  Father ;"  and  strange  also  to  say, 
when  the  priest  repeats  the  "confiteor"  or  "  confession."* 
when  he  comes  to  the  same  place,  he  says  "  et  Vohis 
Fratres,"  and  "  to  you,  brethren  ;"  so  he  confess* 
you,  and  you  to  him.  Thus  literally  fulfilling,  so  far  as 
the  priests  and  you  are  concerned,  the  command  of  St. 
James  v.  16,  "  confess  your  sins  one  to  another,  and 
pray  one  for  another"  and  this  you  do,  for,  towards  the 
conclusion  of  the  "  confiteor"  or  "  confession,"  you  call 
upon  the  priest  to  pray  for  you,  and  the  priest  calls  on 
you  to  pray  for  him. 

Now,  Challoner,  in  his  Catholic  Christian,  admits 
this  to  be  the  case.  He  says,  page  73,  "  our  adversa- 
ries object  against  this  form  of  confession,  because 
therein  we  confess  our  sins  to  the  saints,  as  if  this  was 
giving  them  an  honor  which  belongs  to  God  alone,  not 
considering  that  the  confessing  of  our  sins  to  any  one, 
so  far  from  being  an  honor  peculiar  to  God,  is  what  we 
are  directed  in  Scripture  to  do  one  to  another,  James  v. 
16  ;  and  accordingly  in  that  very  form  which  we  call 
the  confiteor,  we  not  only  confess  our  sins  to  God  and 
to  his  saints,  but  the  priest  also  confesses  to  the  people, 
and  the  people  to  the  priest."  After  what  has  been 
before  stated,  you  can  appreciate  the  value  of  this  rea- 
soning in  favor  of  confessing  to  the  saints  and  angels. 
The  truth  is,  upon  this  principle  the  saints  should  con- 
fess to  you  in  turn;  and  if  they  pray  for  you,  you  are 
called  upon  to  pray  for  them.  No  passage  in  scripture 
is  more  opposed  to  your  present  practices  of  private 
confession  to  your  priest,  or  your  public  confession  to 
saints  and  angels,  or  your  asking  them  to  pray  for  you. 
without  their  confessions  to  you,  and  your  prayers  for 
them  in  turn.  We  are  thus  furnished  with  valuable  in- 
eoadflnation  respecting  the  primitive  mode  of  confession, 
they  ct  tne  meaning  attached  by  the  ancient  Church  to  this 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        31 

passage  of  St.  James.  It  is  an  acknowledgment  that 
its  present  application  to  sanction  private,  or  auricular 
confession,  was  then  unknown,  and  consequently,  that 
private  confession  of  each  particular  sin  to  a  priest,  was 
not  then,  as  you  are  now  taught  to  believe,  essential 
to  qualify  the  penitent  for  receiving  the  blessed  Eucha- 
rist. 

Take  up  your  own  Bibles,  and  refer  to  the  passages* 
quoted  by  your  Roman  Catholic  Church,  in  support  of 
private  confession  to  a  priest  being  essential  in  order  to 
obtain  forgiveness  from  God,  and  you  will  find  that  they, 
as  well  as  every  other  passage  in  the  Bible  upon  the 
subject,  refer  to  public,  not  to  private  confession  to  a 
priest  of  individual  sin.  And  you  may  learn,  also, 
from  ecclesiastical  history,  that  for  more  than  eight 
hundred  years,  such  was  the  general  practice  of  the 
Church,  and  this  is  plainly  and  conclusively  proved  by 
what  follows  in  the  "  mass"  itself — for  immediately  af- 
ter the  confiteor,  there  is  an  absolution  pronounced  by 
the  priest — "  signat  se  signo  crucis  dicens" — He  signs 
himself  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  says — "  Indul- 
gentiam  absolutionem  et  remissionem  peccatorum  nos- 
trorum  tribuat  nobis  omnipotens  et  misericors  Dominus" 
— May  the  omnipotent  and  merciful  Lord  grant  us  in- 
dulgence, absolution  and  remission  of  our  sins.  The 
Rubric  then  says — "  Postea  sacerdos  junctis  manibus 
facit  absolutionem  dicens.  Miseriatur  vestri  Omnipo- 
tens Deus  et  dimissis  peccatis  vestris  perducat  vos  ad 
vitam  eternam."  The  translation  of  which  is,  "After 
this  the  priest,  his  hands  being  joined  together,  '  facit 
absolutionem,'  gives  or  makes  the  absolution,  saying — 
May  the  Almighty  God  be  merciful  to  you,  and,  forgiv- 
ing all  your  sins,  bring  you  to  life  everlasting."  Now 
this  absolution  is  the  same  as  that  used  at  private  con- 

*  Extract  from  table  of  con  troversiea  at  the  end  of  Douay  Testament 
upon  the  word  "confession  of  sins" — Numbers  viii.  (),  7,  Matt.  iii.  6, 
Acts  xix.  18,  St.  James  v.  16.  "  The  obligation  of  confession  is  gathered 
from  the  judiciary  power  of  binding  and  loosing,  forgiveness,  and  retain 
ing  sins,  given  to  the  pastors  of  Christ's  church — St.  Matt,  xviii.  18 ;  St. 
John  xx.  22,  23."  What  authority  do  these  passages  give  to  confession 
of  sins  to  dead  saints  ? 


32  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

fession.  How  is  it  that  it  possesses  no  virtue  when 
repeated  and  given  publicly  at  Mass  after  a  public  con- 
fession, and  that  it  acquires  all  its  efficacy  by  being  re- 
peated in  private  ?  According  to  your  views,  then,  I 
will  assume  that  you  make  your  public  confession,  and 
that  you  do  so  with  a  sincerely  penitent  heart,  and  that 
you  obtain  the  absolution  given  by  the  priest ;  for  what 
purpose  then  serves  private  confession  1  By  what  au- 
thority does  your  Church,  with  the  greatest  inconsisten- 
cy, virtually  pronounce  that  this  public  absolution  is  of 
no  value,  and  that  this  entire  confession  and  absolution 
are  but  a  form,  and  that  a  useless  one  1 

Private  confession  of  particular  sins  to  a  priest  as  es 
sential  to  obtain  forgiveness  of  God,  is  but  a  modern  in- 
vention of  your  Church,  to  extend  her  power  over  the 
consciences  of  her  members,  and  thus  to  keep  up  that 
spiritual  thraldom  which  she  has  endeavored  to  lay 
them  under.  Public  confession  was,  in  the  beginning, 
made  only  to  God,  and  not  to  saints  and  angels.  Such 
was  the  primitive  practice,  and  long  antecedent  to  your 
modern  system.  See  the  manifest  anxiety  of  your 
Church  rulers  to  keep  the  knowledge  of  these  acts 
from  your  people.  In  many  of  your  manuals  or  mis- 
sals for  the  use  of  the  laity,  this  confession  and  absolu- 
tion is  not  given  at  length,  in  order,  as  I  suppose,  to 
prevent  your  discovering  that  confession  is  made  to  the 
priest,  "  et  tibi  Pater,"  and  "  to  you,  O  Father,"  and 
that  the  absolution  is  identically  the  same  as  that  used 
after  private  confession. 

The  Mass  then  goes  on — "  Et  inclinatus  prosequi- 
tur." The  priest  bowing  down,  proceeds  and  says, 
"  Deus  tu  conversus  vivificabis  nos."  Thou,  O  God, 
being  now  favorable  to  us  wilt  enliven  or  refresh  us. 
Answer,  "  Et  plebs  tua  lcetabitur  in  te,"  and  thy  people 
will  rejoice  in  thee — "  ostcnde  nobis  Domine  miseri- 
cordiam  tuam."  Oh  !  Lord,  show  thy  mercy  upon  us. 
Answer — "  et  salutare  tuum  da  nobis,"  and  grant  us  thy 
salvation — "  Domine  exaudi  orationem  meam."  Lord, 
hear  my  prayer.  Answer — "  et  clamor  meus  ad  te  ve- 
niat,"  and  let  my  cry  come  unto  thee — "  Dominus  vo- 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        33 

biscum,"  Lord  be  with  you — "  et  cum  spiritu  tuo,"  and 
with  thy  spirit. 

R. — Et  extendens  ac  jungens  rnanus  clara  voce  dicit 
;'  oremus"  et  ascendens  ad  altare  dicit  secreto. 

T. — And  the  priest  extending  and  then  joining  his 
hands,  says  with  a  loud  voice,  Let  us  pray,  and  going 
up  to  the  altar,  repeats  secretly  to  himself — 

R. — Aufer  a  nobis  quaesumus  Domine,  iniquitates  nos- 
tras, ut  ad  sancta  sanctorum,  puris  mereamur  mentibus 
introire.     Per  Christum  Dominum  nostrum.    Amen. 

T. — Take  away  from  us  we  beseech  thee,  O  Lord,  our 
iniquities,  that  we  may  be  worthy  to  enter  with  pure 
minds  into  the  Holy  of  Holies,  through  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

R. — Deinde  manibus  junctis  super  altare  inclinatus 
dicit. 

T. — Then  bending  or  bowing  over  the  altar  with  joined 
hands  the  priest  says — 

R. — Oramus  te  Domine  per  merita  sanctorum  tuorum 
(osculalur  altare  in  medio,)  quorum  rcliquia  hie  sunt,  et 
omnium  sanctorum,  ut  indulgere  digneris  omnia  peccata 
mea.     Amen.* 

T. — We  beseech  thee,  O  Lord,  by  the  merits  of  thy 
saints,  (the  priest  here  kisses  the  altar  in  the  middle,) 
whose  relics  are  here,  and  of  all  the  saints,  that  thou 
wouldst  vouchsafe  to  forgive  all  my  offences. 

Here  we  have  two  short  prayers,  and  the  contents  of 
one  of  them  supplies  us  with  some  fresh  serious  charges 
against  your  Church.    The  first  prayer  is  said  in  secret 

*  The  origin  of  this  practice  of  having  the  bones  or  relics  of  the 
saints  under  the  altars,  arose  from  the  anxiety  of  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians to  erect  their  churches  and  altars  upon  those  places  where  the 
saint*  and  martyrs  were  buried,  or  where  they  commemorated  their 
death.  This  gives  no  sanction  whatever  to  the  present  corrupt  and 
anti-scriptural  practice  and  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  respecting 
relics.  Bona,  the  learned  Roman  Catholic  writer,  says  upon  this  sub- 
ject, Liber  1,  c.  19,  5;  "  Ccpit  hie  primum  in  Ecclesia  Romana  obser- 
vari  et  ab  ca  ad  alias  dimanavit."  "  This  practice  began  first  to  be  ob- 
served in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  flowed  from  her  to  other 
churches."    Thus  your  Church  was  the  means  of  their  corruption. 


34  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

by  the  priest  alone  ;  quite  inconsistent  with  his  calling 
upon  you  all  in  a  loud  voice  "  clara  voce"  to  pray 
"  oremus."  The  prayer  is  excellent,  but  why  does  he 
repeat  it  only  to  himself?  Perhaps  he  wishes  to  pre- 
vent its  inconsistency  with  the  following  prayer,  which 
he  repeats  aloud,  being  remarked  by  the  hearers.  This 
latter  prayer  puts  forward  two  doctrines,  both  opposed 
to  God's  word  ;  the  merits  of  the  saints,  and  the  spirit- 
ual virtues  attached  to  their  relics,  each  of  which  doc- 
trines we  shall  consider.  It  is  unnecessary  to  bring 
forward  the  passages  from  God's  word,  which  proclaim 
in  the  plainest  language,  "  that  man  possesses  no  merit 
in  the  sight  of  God."  Our  blessed  Lord  himself,  than 
whom  we  cannot  have  higher  authority,  says,  Luke  xvii. 
10,  "  So  you  also,  when  you  have  done  all  the  things 
that  are  commanded  you,  say,  '  we  are  unprofitable  ser- 
vants, we  have  done  that  we  ought  to  do.'  "  And  he 
says  this,  remember,  to  his  chosen  apostles,  taking 
away  even  from  them  all  merit.  In  Isaiah  lxiv.  4,  we 
read — "  but  we  all  are  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our 
righteousnesses  are  but  as  filthy  rags."  Such  is  the 
language  of  God's  saints.  Again,  Romans  iii.  10, 
Douay  version  ;  "  There  is  not  any  man  just."  Nu- 
merous passages  could  be  quoted  to  the  same  effect. 
Why  do  you  not  regard  what  God  himself  tells  you  in 
his  blessed  word  1  You  admit  that  God's  grace  must 
give  you  the  inclination  to  obey  his  will,  and  to  do  what 
you  call  good  works  ;  therefore,  if  there  be  any  merit,  it 
belongs  to  him  who  supplies  you  with  the  means. 

If  I  send  money  to  a  person  by  my  servant,  surely 
the  merit,  so  to  speak,  of  the  charity,  belongs  not  to  the 
servant,  but  to  me.  You  seem  to  forget  that  St.  Paul 
tells  us,  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20 — "  You  are  not  your  own,  for 
you  are  bought  with  a  great  price  ;"  every  thing  we 
possess  we  received  from  God,  and  are  accountable  to 
him,  the  giver,  for  its  use. 

Again,  are  not  the  merits  of  Christ  sufficient  to  atone 
for  your  sins  1  This  you  admit,  for  in  all  the  most  an- 
cient prayers  of  your  Mass,  supplication  is  made  only 
through  him.     We  are  justified  in  the  sight  of  God  by 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.         35 

his  merits  and  suffering's,  through  our  looking  with  faith 
to  Jesus  as  God's  appointed  means,  by  which  only  a 
sinner  can  be  reconciled  to  his  offended  God  ;  and 
therefore  must  renounce  every  merit  of  our  own,  as 
you  profess  to  do,  in  part  of  your  confiteor,  where  you 
smite  your  breast  and  say  you  have,  all  without  excep- 
tion, "offended  by  your  fault,  your  very  great  fault." 
Surely  no  person  born  of  woman,  with  the  exception 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  must  with  truth  join  in 
this  acknowledgment — "  Enter  not  into  judgment  with 
thy  servant,  O  Lord,  for  in  thy  sight  no  man  living  can 
be  justified."  Ps.  cxliii.  2.  Why  do  you  then  attribute 
merit  in  the  sight  of  God  to  the  saints,  which  they  ut- 
terly renounce  ?  No  man  living  can  be  justified  in  the 
sight  of  God  by  his  own  merits.  For  no  man  is  with- 
out sin,  and  sin  deserves  God's  judgments.  Where, 
then,  are  those  human  merits  upon  which  he  may  de- 
pend for  justification  1 

Again  we  ask,  if  the  saints  themselves  disclaim  all 
merit  in  the  sight  of  God,  what  benefit  can  arise  from 
having  their  bones  under  the  altar  ]  You  justify  this 
practice  by  referring  to  three  passages  in  the  Bible  : — 
2  Kings  xiii.  21,  where  it  is  recorded  that  the  bones 
of  Elisha  when  touched  by  a  dead  man  restored  him  to 
life.  2.  Your  Church  refers  to  the  woman  touching 
the  hem  or  border  of  our  Lord's  garment,  and  being 
made  whole.  Matt.  ix.  20.  And  3,  to  Acts  xi.  11,  12; 
where  handkerchiefs  or  aprons  were  brought  to  touch 
the  body  of  Paul,  and  miraculously  cured  those  who 
were  touched  by  them.  These  references  to  support 
the  use  of  relics  in  your  Church  I  find  in  the  table  of 
controversies  at  the  end  of  your  Douay  Testament,  and 
I  ask  what  countenance  do  they  give  to  your  present 
practice  ?  These  passages  refer  to  bodily  cures,  to 
certain  miracles  performed  upon  the  bodies  of  dii 
individuals  ;  if  you  wish  to  hnitate  what  these  passage* 
relate,  take  the  bones  and  your  other  holy  relics  from 
beneath  the  altars,  and  let  the  sick  and  diseased  touch 
them,  and  if  they  find  themselves  restored  to  health, 
we  will  admit  that  you  have  an  invaluable  possession. 


3f>  THE    MASS    AND    RU3RICS 

But,  until  they  are  exhibited  in  this  way,  and  for  this 
purpose,  you  have  no  right  whatsoever  to  claim  the  au- 
thority of  God's  word  for  a  practice  totally  opposed 
both  to  the  spirit  and  letter  of  Scripture.  How  do  you 
ascertain  that  the  bones  you  possess  are  the  bones  of  a 
saint  1  Various  churches  of  your  creed  lay  claim  to 
the  possession  of  the  same  person 's  head.  Several  say 
they  possess  a  leg  or  an  arm  of  a  particular  saint ;  and 
if  their  assertions  be  true,  that  saint  must  have  had 
more  than  the  usual  number  of  legs  and  arms. 

When  St.  Stephen  was  stoned  to  death  the  disciples 
did  not  place  his  body  under  the  altar,  and  adore  his 
bones  ;  we  are  told  they  buried  him.  Acts  viii.  2.  Hez- 
ekiah  broke  in  pieces  the  brazen  serpent  made  by  Mo- 
ses at  the  appointment  of  God,  when  the  people  burnt 
incense  before  it.  2  Kings  xviii.  4.  Are  not  the  merits 
of  the  saints,  even  supposing  them,  contrary  to  God'3 
word,  to  possess  merit  in  the  sight  of  God,  sufficiently 
efficacious,  unless  their  bones  are  raked  up  from  the 
charnel-house  or  grave  ;  and  instead  of  being  permitted 
to  return  to  dust,  are  exhibited  as  a  public  spectacle 
and  show,  for  the  purpose  of  deceiving  you  as  to  their 
miraculous  properties,  and  of  thus  increasing  your  ven- 
eration for  your  Church,  as  being  privileged  by  God  to 
possess  such  invaluable  powers.  This  prayer  is  one 
of  the  many  innovations  in  your  Mass  ;  nor  can  its  ex- 
istence be  shown  before  the  eighth  century.  If  the 
early  Christians  obtained  mercy  through  Jesus  only, — 
as  must  have  been  the  case,  because  the  individuals  to 
whom  these  bones  and  relics  belonged,  had  not  then 
died, — surely  you  may  well  be  satisfied  with  what  suf- 
ficed them.  This  is  one  of  the  many  instances,  not- 
withstanding your  boasted  antiquity,  of  your  Church 
encouraging  you  to  wander  after  those  vain  and  empty 
delusions  which  are  entirely  opposed  to  the  ancient 
doctrine.  Not  a  sentence  do  we  read  in  the  annals  of 
the  Primitive  Church,  about  this  fondness  for  relics  as 
means  of  grace.  Surely  at  that  early  period  it  would 
have  been  an  easy  matter  for  the  early  Christians  to 
have  supplied  themselves  with  pieces  of  the  true  cross, 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        37 

the  nails  which  fastened  our  Lord  to  it,  and  portions  ot 
his  garment.  They  might  have  obtained  various  arti- 
cles belonging  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  the  other 
saints  ;  all  of  which  were  genuine.  Such  would  cer- 
tainly have  been  the  case,  if  a  spirit  such  as  was  after- 
wards exhibited  in  the  Roman  Church,  then  prevailed  ; 
and  how  easily  could  they  then  have  distinguished  the 
true  from  the  counterfeit ! 

I  would  here  enumerate  some  of  the  present  relics 
asserted  to  be  preserved  in  various  of  your  churches, 
including  .^me  of  even  the  Milk  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
were  I  not  apprehensive  that  you  would  suppose  I  was 
only  mocking,  and  wishing  to  turn  your  practices  into 
ridicule  ;  but  I  am  more  disposed  to  grieve  over,  and 
deplore  the  lamentable  departure  of  your  Church,  in 
this  respect,  from  scriptural  truth  and  common  sense. 

R. — In  missa  solemni  celebrans  antequam  legat  in- 
troitum  benedicit  incensum  dicens,  ab  illo  bene  •£•  di- 
caris  in  cujus  honore  cremaberis — Amen.  Et  accepto 
thuribulo  a  Diacono  incensat  altare  nihil  dicens  Postea 
Diaconus  recepto  thuriburlo  a  celebrante  incensit  ilium 
tantum.  Deinde  celebrans  signans  se  signo  crucis  in- 
cipit  Introitum  quo  finito  junctis  manibus  alternatim 
cum  ministris  dicit. 

T. — In  solemn  or  high  Masses,  the  officiating  priest, 
before  he  reads  the  Introite,  (consisting  of  short  portions 
of  Scripture,  different  upon  different  days,)  blesses  the 
incense,  saying,  "  May  you  be  blessed  (signing  it  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross)  by  him  in  whose  honor  you  will 
be  burnt.  Amen."  Then  taking  the  thurible,  or  vessel 
which  contains  the  incense,  from  the  deacon,  he  in- 
censes the  altar  in  silence.  Afterwards  the  deacon 
taking  the  incense  vessel  from  the  officiating  priest,  and 
signing  himself  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  begins  to 
repeat  the  Introite,  which  being  ended,  he  repeats  alter- 
nately with  the  ministers  or  clerks — 

R. — Kyrie  eleison,  Kyrie  eleison,  Kyrie  eleison, 
Christe  eleison,  Christe  eleison,  Christe  eleison,  Kyrie 
eleison,  Kyrie  eleison. 

4 


38  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

T. — Lord  have  mercy  upon  me,  3  times  ;  Christ  have 
mercy  upon  me,  3  times  ;  Lord  have  mercy  upon  me. 

Here  again  we  have  to  remark  upon  some  additional 
novelties  of  your  church — the  use  of  "  incense,"  and 
the  blessing  it,  and  signing  it  with  the  sign  of  the  cross. 
Incense  was  appointed  by  God  to  be  burnt  upon  the 
altar  in  the  Jewish  Church,  Exod.  xxx.  1.  It  was  em- 
blematical of  the  prayers  and  thanksgiving  offered  up 
before  the  throne  of  grace,  Ps.  cxli.  2.  We  find  this 
custom  also  continued  by  Zachariah,  one  of  the  Jewish 
priests,  and  father  to  John  the  Baptist,  Luke  i.  9.  And 
in  the  Book  of  Revelation  the  same  idea  is  preserved, 
where  we  are  told  that  the  four-and-twenty  ancients  and 
the  four  living  creatures  have  golden  vials  full  of  odors, 
which  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints.* 

The  law  of  Moses  was,  as  the  apostle  Paul  says  in 
the  Hebrews,  x.  1,  "only  the  shadow  of  things  to 
come  ;"  and  therefore  when  that  which  was  prefigured 
by  the  law — viz.  the  coming  of  the  Saviour — was  ac- 
complished, all  those  rites  and  ceremonies  were  no 
longer  necessary.  Why  was  not  incense  used  by  our 
blessed  Lord  at  the  celebration  of  his  last  supper  ] 
Why  did  not  the  holy  apostles  mention  it  in  their  epis- 
tles ?  Where  are  you  told  by  God  in  his  word  that 
there  is  any  blessing  attached  to  it  ]  Its  introduction  is 
modern  ;  in  the  Primitive  Church  we  seek  for  it  in  vain. 
And  again  we  inquire  why  is  it  signed  with  the  sign  of 
the  cross  ?     Where  is  your  authority  for  supposing  that 

*  Note  on  this  verse  in  the  Douay  Testament,  verse  8  :  "  Here  we 
see  that  the  saints  in  heaven  offer  up  to  Christ  the  prayers  of  the  faith- 
ful upon  earth."  Now  we  ask  does  this  appear  from  the  text  if  you 
interpret  it  literally  ;  it  was  only  the  twenty-lour  ancients  and  the  four 
living  creatures  whose  province  it  was  to  do  so,  and  therefore  you  see 
clearly  that  the  saints  whose  intercession  you  solicit  are  not  employed 
in  that  way  at  all.  And  by  referring  to  Revelation  viii.  'A,  4,  you  will 
find  it  to  l>e  an  angel  to  whom  was  given  much  incense,  that  he  should 
offer  up  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints  ;  and  the  smoke  of  the  incense  of 
the  prayers  of  the  saints  ascended  up  before  God  from  the  hand  of  the 
angel.  Here  we  are  expressly  told  that  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints 
are  offered  up  by  the  angel.  Whether  our  blessed  Lord  is  here  repre- 
sented, is  of  little  consequence,  to  confute  the  Romish  doctrine.  And 
thus  the  saints  in  heaven,  to  whom  you  pray,  have  nothing  to  say  or 
do  in  the  matter,  and  your  prayers  to  them  are  thus  useless. 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  39 

ft 

inanimate  things  thus  become  more  holy,  by  being  marked 
with  the  sign  of  the  cross  ?  St.  Paul  tells  you  that  "  it 
is  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer  that  we  are  to  sanc- 
tify any  thing,"  1  Tim.  iv.  5 ;  which  does  not  imply 
that  it  is  to  be  endued  with  any  particular  virtue,  but 
only  to  be  separated  for  divine  purposes  for  the  service 
of  God.  What  is  the  meaning  of  incense  being  poured 
upon  the  altar,  and  upon  the  deacons,  and  upon  the  offi- 
ciating priest  1  Even  in  the  Jewish  worship  we  find 
nothing  of  the  kind  ;  the  incense  was  burnt,  and  not 
poured  or  cast  upon  the  altar  or  priest — so  that  you 
have  no  authority  in  God's  word  for  your  practice. 
Your  church  must  certainly  entertain  doubts  of  the 
efficacy  of  the  preceding  sprinklings  with  holy  water, 
and  the  numerous  previous  crossings,  when  this  new 
custom  is  introduced  in  addition,  like  the  others,  upon 
her  own  sole  authority. 

R. — Postea  in  medio  altaris  extendens  et  jungens 
manus  caput  que  aliquantulum  inclinans  dicit  si  dicen- 
dum  est  "  Gloria  in  excelsis  Deo,"  et  prosequitur  junc- 
tis  manibus  ;  cum  dicit,  adoramus  te,  gratias  agimus 
tibi,  Jesu  Christe,  et  suscipe  deprecationem,  inclinat 
caput ;  et  in  fine  dicens  "  cum  sancto  spiritu,"  signat  se 
a  fronte  ad  pectus. 

In  some  Masses  this  is  omitted. 

T. — Next,  the  priest  extending  and  joining  his  hands 
over  the  middle  of  the  altar,  bowing  his  head  a  little, 
says  (if  it  is  to  be  said  on  that  day)  the  prayer  of 
"  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,"  and  continues  it  with 
his  hands  joined  together.  When  he  says  "  We  adore 
thee,  we  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  re- 
ceive our  prayer,"  or  deprecation  to  avert  the  conse- 
quence of  our  sins,  he  bows  his  head,  and  at  the  con- 
clusion saying  "  With  the  Holy  Spirit,"  he  makes  the 
sign  of  the  cross  on  his  forehead  and  breast. 

We  ask  here  what  is  the  object  of  his  crossing  him- 
self] What  reason  has  he  now  for  supposing  he  will 
be  more  favorably  listened  to  on  account  of  his  doing 


40  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

this  1  What  evil  spirits  does  he  now  think  are  about 
him,  who  are  to  be  driven  or  frightened  away  with  the 
sign  of  the  cross  1 

GLORIA    IN    EXCELSIS    DEO. 

R. — Gloria  in  excelsis  Deo,  et  in  terra,  pax  homini- 
bus  bonaj  voluntatis.  Laudamus  te,  benedicimus  te, 
adoramus  te,  glorificamus  te,  gratias  agimus  tibi  propter 
magnam  gloriam  tuam,  Domine  Deus,  Rex  celestis, 
Deus  Pater  Omnipotens,  Domine  Fili  unigenite,  Jesu 
Christe,  Domine  Deus,  Agnus  Dei,  Filius  Patris,  qui 
tollis  peccata  mundi  miserere  nobis.  Qui  tollis  peccat 
mundi  suscipe  deprecationem  nostram,  qui  sedes  ad 
dexteram  patris,  miserere  nobis  quoniam  tu  solus  sanc- 
tus  tu  solus  Dominus  tu  solus  altissimus  Jesu  Christe 
cum  Sancto  Spiritu  in  gloria  Dei  patris.     Amen. 

T. — Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth,  peace, 
good  will  towards  men.  We  praise  thee,  we  bless 
thee,  we  adore  thee,  we  glorify  thee.  We  give  thee 
thanks  on  account  of  thy  great  glory,  Lord  God, 
Heavenly  King,  God  the  Father  Almighty.  O  Lord, 
the  only  begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  O  Lord  God, 
Lamb  of  God,  Son  of  the  Father,  who  takest  away  the 
sins  of  the  world,  have  mercy  upon  us.  Thou  who 
takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  receive  our  prayer. 
Thou  that  sittest  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  have 
mercy  upon  us.  Since  thou  only  art  holy,  thou  only 
art  the  Lord.  Thou  art  the  highest,  O  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father.     Amen. 

This  is  a  very  ancient  prayer,  and  in  strict  conformi- 
ty with  the  word  of  God.  Here  we  are  taught  to  ad- 
dress the  several  persons  of  the  Eternal  Trinity,  imme- 
diately ;  knowing  they  have  been  made  favorable  to  us 
through  the  blood  of  Jesus.  And  why  cannot  you  act 
always  upon  this  principle  1  And  do  you  not  perceive 
that  you  require  not  the  merits  and  intercession  of  the 
saints,  when  the  merits  and  intercession  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  are  sufficient,  and  more  than  sufficient,  to 
reconcile  a  sinner  to  God.     Here,  also,  remember  you 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        41 

address  Jesus,  who,  you  say,  sitteth,  mark,  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

R. — Sic  dicitur  "  gloria  in  excelsis"  etiam  in  missis 
beatse  Mariae  quando  dicenda  est. 

T. — Thus  is  repeated  "  the  Glory  in  the  highest," 
even  when  it  is  to  be  said  in  the  Masses  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary. 

We  could  make  many  remarks  upon  this  title,  "  of 
the  Masses  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,"  and  upon  the 
titles  of  many  other  of  your  Masses  ;  and  upon  the 
strangeness  of  calling  the  supper  of  the  Lord  after  any 
other  name  than  his  own.  We  could  also  bring  forward 
many  prayers,  from  your  own  authorized  forms,  to  show 
that  you  are  not  satisfied  with  only  seeking  the  inter- 
cession of  the  saints,  but  that  you  address  them  direct- 
ly, as  if  they  possessed  in  themselves  the  power  of 
granting  your  petitions.  But  doing  so,  at  present, 
would  lead  us  from  the  chief  object  we  have  in  view. 

R. — Deinde  osculatur  altare  in  medio,  et  versus  ad 
populum  dicit  "  Dominus  vobiscum,"  R.  "  et  cum  spiritu 
tuo,"  postea  dicit  "  Oremus"  et  orationes,  unam  aut 
plures,  ut  ordo  officii  postulat :  sequitur  Epistola,  Gra- 
duate, Tractus,  vel  Alleluia  cum  versu,  aut  sequentia, 
ut  postulat  tempus.  His  finitis,  si  est  missa  solemnis, 
Diaconus  deponit  Librum  Evangeliorum  super  medium 
altaris,  et  celebrans  benedicit  incensum  ut  supra,  deinde 
Diaconus  genuflexus  ante  altare  manibus  junctis  dicit. 

T. — Then  the  priest  kisses  the  altar  in  the  middle, 
and  turning  to  the  people,  says ;  "  The  Lord  be  with 
you,"  (how  absurd  to  address  them  in  Latin  of  which 
they  cannot  understand  one  word !)  and  they  answer  by 
the  clerk,  as  they  know  not  what  is  said — "  And  with 
thy  spirit,"  meaning  the  priest's  spirit.  After  this  he 
says  "  Let  us  pray,"  and  prayers  one  or  more,  as  the 
order  of  the  particular  daily  office  requires,  are  said. 
The  Epistle  follows,  then  the  Gradual,  the  Tract  or 
Alleluia,  with  a  verse  or  "  sequentia,"  as  the  time  re- 
quires. All  these  are  titles  given  to  several  prayers, 
and  verses  or  passages  from  Holy  Scripture,  but  which 
4* 


42  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS. 

vary  upon  the  different  Sundays  and  festivals.  Some 
of  the  prayers  are  very  good,  others  highly  objection- 
able, as  speaking  of  our  obtaining  blessings  from  God 
through  the  merits  and  intercession  of  particular  saints. 
Having  finished,  if  it  be  a  Solemn  or  High  Mass,  the 
deacon  lays  down  the  book  of  the  Gospels  upon  the 
middle  of  the  altar,  and  the  officiating  priest  blesses  the 
incense  as  before-mentioned ;  that  is,  he  does  it  a  sec- 
ond time,  as  if  he  were  conscious  the  first  were  insuf- 
ficient or  of  no  value.  Then  the  deacon  kneeling  be- 
fore the  altar  with  his  hands  joined,  says — 

R. — Munda  cor  meum  ac  labia  mea,  Omnipotens 
Deus,  qui  labia  Isaiae  prophetae  calculo  mundasti  ignito  ; 
ita  mea  tua  grata  miseratione  dignare  mundare,  ut  sanc- 
tum Evangelium  tuum,  digne  valeam  nuntiare,  per 
Christum  Dominum  nostrum.     Amen. 

T. — Cleanse  my  heart  and  lips,  O  omnipotent  God, 
who  cleansed  the  lips  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  with  a  burn- 
ing coal.  So  vouchsafe  to  cleanse  me,  by  thy  gracious 
compassion,  that  I  may  be  enabled  worthily  to  proclaim 
thy  blessed  Gospel ;  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

R. — Postea  accipit  librum  de  altare  et  rursus  genu- 
flexus  benedictionem  petit  sacerdote,  dicens,  "  Jube 
Domine,  benedicere." 

T. — After  this,  he,  the  deacon,  takes  up  the  book 
from  the  altar,  and  again  kneeling  down  beseeches  a 
blessing  from  the  priest,  saying,  "  O  Lord,  command 
him  to  bless  me." 

R. — Sacerdos  respondet. 

T. — The  priest  replies — 

R.—  Dominus  sit  in  corde  tuo  et  in  labiis  tuis,  ut 
digne  et  competenter  annunties  Evangelium  suum.  In 
nomine  Patris  et  Filii  -f"  et  Spiritus  Sancti.     Amen. 

T. — May  the  Lord  be  in  your  heart,  and  in  your  lips, 
that  you  may  worthily,  and  competently,  proclaim  his 
Gospel,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  (he 
crosses  himself  here,  we  know  not  why,)  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        43 

R. — Et  accepta  benedictione,  osculatur  manum  Cele- 
brantis  et  cum  aliis  ministris,  incenso  et  luminaribus, 
accedens  ad  locum  Evangelii,  stans  junctis  manibus 
dicit. — "  Dominus  vobiscum."  Res.  Et  cum  spiritu 
tuo.  Et  prenuntians  sequentia  sancti  Evangelii  secun- 
dum.— N,  sive  initium,  pollice  destrae  manus,  signat 
librum  in  principio  Evangelii,  quod  est  lecturus,  deinde 
seipsum  in  fronte,  ore  et  pectore  ;  et  turn  ministri  re- 
spondent "  Gloria  tibi  Domine  :"  incensat  ter  librum, 
postea  prosequitur  Evangelium  junctis  manibus.  Quo 
finito  subdiaconus  defert  librum  sacerdoti,  qui  osculatur 
Evangelium  dicens.  "  Per  Evangelica  dicta  deleantur 
nostra  delicta. 

T. — The  deacon  having  received  the  celebrating 
priest's  blessing,  kisses  his  hand,  and  approaching  with 
the  other  attendants  or  clerks,  with  the  incense,  and 
lights,  to  the  place  where  the  Gospel  is,  and  standing 
with  joined  hands,  says,  "  The  Lord  be  with  you." 
Answer — "  And  with  thy  spirit ;"  and  pronouncing  the 
Sequentia,  or  following,  of  the  Holy  Gospel  according 
to  "  N,"  that  is,  any  of  the  four  Gospels.  Or  he  says 
"  The  beginning,"  he  signs  the  sign  of  the  Cross  with 
the  thumb  of  his  right  hand  in  the  beginning  of  the 
Gospel  he  is  about  to  read.  And  he  then  crosses  him- 
self from  the  forehead,  mouth,  and  breast ;  and  while 
the  attendants  reply  "  Glory  be  to  thee,  0  Lord,"  he  in- 
censes the  book  three  times,  and  afterwards  reads  the 
Gospel,  his  hands  being  joined  ;  which  being  ended,  the 
sub-deacon  takes  the  book  to  the  priest,  who  kisses  the 
Gospel,  saying,  "  May  our  sins  be  forgiven  through  the 
words  contained  in  the  Gospel." 

We  ask,  what  is  the  advantage  to  be  derived  from  all 
this  crossing,  and  from  the  book  of  the  Gospel  being 
incensed  no  less  than  three  times,  or  from  one  priest 
kissing  the  hand  of  another  priest  1  Does  the  book  of 
the  blessed  Gospel,  or  the  priests,  become  more  holy  by 
these  absurd  unmeaning  forms  1  We  see  nothing  of 
this  in  the  Word  of  God  ;  every  thing  there  is  plain  and 
simple.  We  can  discover  no  traces  of  any  such  practi- 
ces in  the  Primitive  Church.     All  this  "  will  worship" 


44  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS. 

was  introduced  in  comparatively  modern  times  into  the 
service  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  We  also  remark  a 
new  practice  mentioned  in  the  above  passage,  namely, 
the  use  of  lighted  candles  during  the  celebration  of  the 
Mass.  Where  is  the  authority  for  such  a  custom  1 
Wherein  consists  the  advantage  of  having  lighted  can- 
dles on  your  altars]  They  are  only  calculated,  with 
your  other  forms,  to  withdraw  the  attention  of  those 
who  witness  what  is  going  forward,  from  spiritual  sub- 
jects, and  to  fix  it  upon  useless  external  forms.  Lights 
were  originally  used  in  times  of  persecution,  when  the 
early  Christians  were  compelled  to  celebrate  divine 
service  in  caves,  vaults,  and  cellars. 

R. — Deinde  sacerdos  incensatur  a  diacono.  Si  vero 
sacerdos  sine  diacono  et  sub-diacono  celebret,  delato 
libro  ad  aliud  cornu  altaris,  inclinatus  in  medio,  junctis 
manibus  dicit.  "  Munda  cor  meum,"  ut  supra,  et  jube 
Domine,  benedicere,  Dominus  sit  in  corde  mea  et  in 
labiis  meis,  ut  digne  et  competenter  annuntiem  Evan- 
gelium  suum.     Amen. 

T. — Then  the  priest  is  incensed  by  the  deacon  ;  but 
if  the  priest  celebrates  Mass  without  the  deacon  and 
sub-deacon  taking  the  book  to  the  corner  of  the  altar 
and  bowing  towards  the  middle  of  it,  with  joined  hands 
he  says,  "  Cleanse  my  heart,"  as  above,  and  "  Com- 
mand him,  O  Lord,  to  bless  me.  May  the  Lord  be  in 
my  heart,  and  in  my  lips,  that  I  may  worthily  and  com- 
petently declare  his  Gospel.     Amen." 

What  is  the  advantage  of  this  repeated  "  incensing?" 
Nothing  like  this  is  to  be  found  in  God's  word.  Surely 
it  cannot  make  the  priest  more  holy,  or  more  fit  to  cele- 
brate the  sacred  mysteries.  The  prayer  he  offers  up 
to  God,  to  enable  him  worthily  to  proclaim  his  Gospel, 
is  excellent ;  but  not  satisfied  with  this,  he  acts  as  if  he 
supposed  God  could  not  grant  his  petition,  unless  he 
was  also  covered  with  incense. 

R. — Deinde  conversus  ad  librum  junctis  manibus 
dicit.  Dominus  vobiscum.  R. — Et  cum  spiritu  tuo, 
et  pronuntians  initium  sive  sequentia  sancti  evangelh, 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        45 

signat  librum  et  se  in  fronte,  ore,  et  pectore,  et  legit 
evangeliumut  dictum  est.  Quo  finito  respondet  minis- 
ter. Laus  tibi,  Christe,  et  sacerdos  osculatur  evangeli- 
um  dicens.  Per  evangelica  dicta  ut  supra.  In  missis 
defunctorum  dicitur.  Munda  cor  meum  sed  non  petitur 
benedictio,  non  deferuntur  luminaria  nee  celebrans  os- 
culatur librum.  Deinde  ad  medium,  altaris,  extendens, 
elevans,  et  jungens  manus  dicit  si  dicendum  est.  Credo 
in  unum  Deum  et  prosequitur  junctis  manibus.  Cum 
dicit  "  Deum,"  caput  cruci  inclinat.  Quod  similiter 
facit  cum  dicit  Jesum  Christum  et  simul  adoratur.  Ad 
ilia  autem  verba.  "  Et  incarnatus  est,"  genuflectit  usque 
dum  dicatur.  "  Et  homo  factus  est."  In  fine  ad,  "  et 
vitam  venturi  saeculi"  signat  se  signo  crucis  a  fronte 
ad  pectus. 

T. — Then  having  turned  to  the  book,  and  his  hands 
being  joined,  he  says,  "  The  Lord  be  with  you."  R. — 
"  And  with  thy  spirit."  And  pronouncing  "  the  begin- 
ning" or  the  "  sequentia  of  the  blessed  Gospel,"  he 
makes  the  sign  of  the  Cross  upon  the  book,  and  on  his 
forehead,  mouth,  and  breast,  and  reads  the  Gospel,  as 
was  said  before  ;  which  being  ended,  the  minister  says 
"  Praise  be  to  thee,  O  Christ ;"  and  the  priest  kisses  the 
Gospel,  saying,  "  May  our  sins  be  blotted  out  by  the 
words  of  the  Gospel,"  as  was  said  before.  In  Masses 
for  the  dead,  the  prayer  of  "  Cleanse  my  heart,  &c."  is 
said  ;  but  the  "  benediction"  is  not  sought  for,  nor  are 
the  lights  brought  over,  nor  does  the  officiating  priest 
kiss  the  book.  Then,  at  the  middle  of  the  altar,  ex- 
tending, raising,  and  joining  his  hands  together,  he  says, 
if  it  is  to  be  said,  "  I  believe  in  one  God,"  (the  Nicene 
Creed,)  and  goes  through  it  with  joined  hands.  When 
he  pronounces  the  word  "  God,"  he  bows  his  head  to 
the  Cross.  He  does  the  same  when  he  pronounces  the 
words  "  Jesus  Christ,"  and  adores  at  the  same  time. 
But  at  the  words  "  He  became  incarnate,"  he  kneels 
until  he  repeats  the  words  "  And  was  made  Man."  At 
the  conclusion,  when  he  repeats  the  words  "  life  ever- 
lasting," he  signs  himself  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross 
both  on  his  forehead  and  breast. 


46  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Here  we  find  more  useless  forms,  more  crossings, 
and  kissinga  of  the  book  of  the  Gospel,  and  bowings. 
Where  is  the  authority  for  all  these  senseless  exhibi- 
tions ?  But  in  the  Masses  for  the  dead,  some  of  these 
forms  are  omitted ;  I  take  for  granted,  if  they  were 
supposed  to  be  of  any  value,  they  would  be  retained, 
but,  in  truth,  they  can  be  easily  dispensed  with,  as  it 
would  be  difficult  to  prove  their  value.  See  what  vari- 
ous attitudes  are  used  in  repeating  the  Nicene  Creed  ; 
the  early  fathers,  when  this  Creed  was  composed  at  the 
Council  of  Nice,  in  the  year  325,  little  contemplated 
these  unmeaning  forms,  introduced  in  after  ages,  during 
its  repetition. 

NICENE    CREED. 

Credo  in  unum  Deum,  Patrem  omnipotentem,  facto- 
rem  coeli  et  terrae,  visibilium  omnium  et  invisibilium. 
Et  in  unum  Dominum,  Jesum  Christum,  Filium  Dei 
unigenitum,  et  ex  Patre  natum  ante  omnia  ssecula. 
Deum  de  Deo,  lumen  de  lumine,  Deum  verum  de  Deo 
vero  ;  genitum  non  factum  ;  consubstantialem  Patri. 
Per  quern  omnia  facta  sunt.  Qui  propter  nos  homines, 
et  propter  nostram  salutem,  descendit  de  ccelis,  (hie 
genujicctitur)  et  incarnatus  est  de  Spiritu  Sancto,  ex 
Maria  Virgine  ;  et  homo  factus  est.  Crucifixus  etiam 
pro  nobis  sub  Pontio  Pilato,  passus  et  sepultus  est,  et 
resurrexit  tertia  die,  secundum  scripturas.  Et  ascendit 
in  ccelum,  sedet  ad  dextram  Patris  ;  et  iterum  ventures 
est  cum  gloria,  judicare  vivos  et  mortuos  :  cujus  regni 
non  erit  finis. 

Et  in  Spiritum  Sanctum,  Dominum  et  vivificantem, 
qui  ex  Patre  Filioque  procedit.  Qui  cum  Patre  et 
Filio  simul  adoratur  et  conglorificatur,  qui  locutus  est 
per  prophetas.  Et  unam  Catholicam,  et  apostolicam 
Ecclesiam.  Confiteor  unum  baptisma  in  remissionem 
peccatorum.  Et  expecto  resurrectionem  mortuorum, 
et  vitam  venturi  saeculi.     Amen. 

T. — I  believe  in  one  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  ma- 
ker of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  all  things,  visible  and 
invisible.     And  in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  be- 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        47 

gotten  Son  of  God,  begotten  of  the  Father  before  all 
worlds,  God  of  God,  Light  of  Light,  very  (or  true)  God 
from  very  (or  true)  God  ;  begotten,  not  made  ;  being  of 
one  substance  with  the  Father  ;  by  whom  (the  Son)  all 
things  were  made.  Who,  for  us  men,  and  our  salva- 
tion, came  down  from  heaven,  (here  the  priest  bows  or 
kneels,)  and  was  incarnate  by  the  Holy  Ghost  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  and  was  made  man,  and  was  crucified 
also  for  us,  under  Pontius  Pilate  ;  he  suffered,  and  was 
buried,  and  the  third  day  he  rose  again  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  and  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  the  Father  Almighty  :  from  whence 
he  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead. 

I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Lord  and  giver  of 
life,  who  proceedeth  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  :  who 
with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  is  worshipped  and  glori- 
fied, who  spake  by  the  prophets.  And  I  believe  in  one 
Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church.  I  acknowledge  one 
baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  I  look  for  the  re- 
surrection of  the  dead,  and  the  life  everlasting.  Amen. 

Such  is  the  Creed  called  "  the  Nicene  Creed,"  com- 
piled by  the  bishops  and  fathers  of  the  Christian  Cath- 
olic or  Universal  Church  at  the  Council  of  Nice,  held, 
as  before  stated,  in  the  year  325.  There  is  much  mat- 
ter contained  in  this  Creed  ;  it  declares  the  essential 
articles  of  faith  believed  at  the  period  when  the 
Council  was  held.  It  sets  forth,  clearly  and  plainly, 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  or,  that  the  God-head  con- 
sists of  three  divine  Persons,  equal  and  co-eternal — 
that  the  second  Person,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "  for  us 
men,  and  for  our  salvation,"  took  upon  him  the  nature 
of  man,  save  only  as  to  sin,  and  was  born  of  the  Virgin 
Mary — was  crucified  by  command  of  Pontius  Pilate, 
was  buried,  and  rose  again  the  third  day — and  ascended 
into  heaven,  and  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  to 
make  intercession  for  us,  sinners,  with  his  Father,  as 
was  before  stated,  and  that  He  will  come  from  thence 
to  judge  the  quick  (those  who  will  be  alive  at  the  last 
day)  and  the  dead.  We  also  acknowledge  our  belief 
in  the  distinct  personality  and  divinity  of  the  Holy 


48  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Ghost,  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  spiritual  life.  We  also 
state  our  belief  that  he  spake  to  us  by  the  prophets,  and 
writers  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  St.  Peter  tells  us 
that  "  holy  men  of  God  spake  inspired  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  2  Peter  i.  21,  Douay  version.  Also  our  belief 
in  the  Holy  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church.  Catholic, 
means  universal  ;  and  we  believe  that  our  blessed  Lord 
wished  to  establish  a  church  all  over  the  world — the 
doctrines  and  precepts  of  which  should  be  equally  bind- 
ing upon  all ;  and  this  conclusion  follows  from  the  object 
which  our  Lord  had  in  view,  namely  :  to  die  for  the  whole 
world.  As  St.  Peter  says,  Acts  x.  35,  "  in  every  na- 
tion, he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  justice,  is  accept- 
able to  him." 

Thus  we  learn  that  Christ  has  one  universal  church, 
which,  in  God's  appointed  time,  will  extend  all  over  the 
world.  And,  in  order  to  guide  us  in  ascertaining 
whether  we  belong  to  this  Church,  we  are  taught  to 
believe  and  to  admit  that  it  must  be  "  Apostolical," 
that  is,  governed  by  the  same  doctrines  and  articles  of 
faith  which  the  Apostles  taught.  To  this  view  agrees 
what  our  Lord  said,  immediately  before  he  ascended  in- 
to heaven,  to  his  Apostles,  Matt,  xxviii.  18,  19,  20 — 
"  And  Jesus  coming,  spoke  to  them,  saying  :  All  power 
is  given  to  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  Go  ye  there- 
fore, and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you ;  and  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days, 
even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world."  Thus  you 
see,  that  following  the  doctrines  of  the  Apostles,  is  es- 
sential to  constitute  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
Your  calling  yourselves  by  such  a  title,  is  not  sufficient, 
but  you  must  examine  your  doctrines  as  set  forth  in  the 
Mass,  the  principal  part  of  your  religious  worship,  and 
see  what  countenance  they  receive  from  the  writings  of 
the  Apostles.  Again,  you  learn  from  this  passage,  that 
no  change  of  faith  was  to  be  permitted  ;  what  Jesus 
had  commanded,  they  were  to  continue  to  teach  to  the 
end  of  the  world. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        49 

But,  you  will  ask,  is  it  not  impossible  for  the  Church 
of  Christ  to  err,  when  Jesus  has  declared  "  he  will  be 
always  with  it  V  This  leads  us  to  the  foundation  of 
your  system,  and  to  inquire,  in  the  first  place,  into  the 
reasons  for  your  belief,  that  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  with  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  or  the  Pope,  at  its 
head,  is  the  Church  of  Christ ;  and,  consequently,  free 
from  essential  error.  Your  belief  as  Roman  Catholics 
is,  that  our  Lord  committed  his  Church  to  the  govern- 
ment of  St.  Peter,  and  as  the  Bishops  of  Rome  claim 
to  be  the  successors  of  St.  Peter,  that  this  charge  con- 
tinues to  them ;  and  thus  the  Church  of  Christ  is  iden- 
tified by  you  with  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  That, 
as  a  consequence  of  that  privilege,  all  those  who  sepa- 
rate from  her,  and  do  not  submit  to  her  authority,  peril 
their  eternal  salvation. 

Your  Church  claims  power  over  all  others,  as  being 
under  the  charge  of  the  Pope,  St.  Peter's  successor. 
Where  in  the  Word  of  God,  do  you  find  that  the  Church 
was  placed  under  the  government  of  St.  Peter  1  Let  us 
lay  bare  the  foundation  of  this  claim,  and  refer  to  Mil- 
ner's  "  End  of  Religious  Controversy,"  where  we  shall 
find  the  arguments  in  support  of  it  put  forward  in  the 
strongest  and  most  forcible  manner  of  which  they  are 
capable.  "  The  strongest  proof,"  as  the  learned  Doc- 
tor states,  "  of  St.  Peter's  dignity  and  jurisdiction  con- 
sists in  that  explicit  and  energetical  declaration  of  our 
Saviour  to  him,  in  the  quarters  of  Caesarea  Philippi, 
upon  his  making  that  glorious  confession  of  our  Lord's 
divinity,  '  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God,'  "  Matt.  xvi.  16.  Now  take  up  your  Douay  Tes- 
taments, and  open  them  at  that  chapter,  and  judge  your- 
selves, whether  this  "  strongest  proof"  of  Milner's  is 
sufficient  to  bear  up  the  vast  superstructure  erected 
upon'it.  You  will  find  at  the  13th  v.,  how  our  Lord 
began  to  question  his  disciples  :  "  Whom  do  men  say 
that  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am!"  After  hearing  the  vari- 
ous opinions  of  the  people,  some  of  whom  said  he  was 
John  the  Baptist,  and  some  Elias,  and  others  Jeremiah, 
or  one  of  the  prophets  ;  Jesus  said  unto  them,  "  But 
5 


50  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

whom  say  you  that  I  am  ?"  Peter  answered,  and  said, 
"  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  And 
Jesus  answering,  said  to  him,  "  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon 
Barjona,  son  of  Jona,  because  flesh  and  blood  hath  not 
revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  wrho  is  in  heaven. 
And  I  say  to  thee,  that  thou  art  Peter:  and  upon  this 
rock  I  a\  ill  build  my  Church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  it.  And  I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt 
bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven  ;  and  what- 
soever thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth,  shall  be  loosed  also 
in  heaven." 

"  I  will  build  my  Church  upon  this  rock"  said  the 
Saviour.  Not  surely  upon  St.  Peter;  whom  our  Lord, 
in  a  few  verses  after  this,  calls  "  Satan."  Not  surely 
upon  St.  Peter ;  who  denied,  with  oaths  and  impreca- 
tions, that  he  had  any  knowledge  of  our  Lord,  and  thus 
for  a  time  was  separated  from  his  Master's  cause,  Mark 
xiv.  71.  Not  surely  upon  Peter;  whom  St.  Paul  with- 
stood to  the  face,  Gal.  ii.  11,  because  he  was  to  be 
blamed ;  and  countenanced  erroneous  doctrines ;  but 
upon  his  confession,  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the 
anointed,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  The  privilege  of 
binding  and  loosing  was  not  confined  exclusively  to  St. 
Peter;  for  we  find  our  Lord  extending  it  to  all  his  dis- 
ciples, only  two  chapters  after,  Matt,  xviii.  13,  and  thus 
making  them  equal  to  Peter,  who  thus  lost  his  superi- 
ority, even  supposing  he  ever  possessed  it.  But  as  a 
reward  for  his  being  the  first  to  confess  that  Jesus  was 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  the  keys  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  were  committed,  in  one  sense,  to 
him;  and  he  had  the  privilege  conferred  upon  him  of 
being-  the  first  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews,  which 
he  did  upon  the  day  of  Pentecost,  Acts  ii.  ;  and  to  the 
Gentiles,  when  Cornelius  the  Centurion  was  converted, 
Acts  \.  24  ;  and  thus  the  Gospel,  which  signifies  "the 
kingdom  of  heaven,"  was  unlocked  to  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  by  Peter. 

Now,  the  very  nature  of  this  privilege  shows  it  was 
not  to  descend  upon  those  who  claim  to  be  his  succes- 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        51 

sors — namely,  the  Bishops  of  Rome.  The  privilege 
was  his  being  the  first  to  preach  or  unlock  the  Gospel 
to  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and,  therefore,  when  that 
was  accomplished  it  could  not  be  repeated  by  a  suc- 
cessor. 

But,  perhaps,  you  may  inquire — Did  not  our  Lord 
commit  the  lambs  and  sheep  of  his  fold  three  several 
times  to  Peter,  and  did  he  not  then,  as  mentioned  by  St. 
John  xxi.  17,  confer  on  him  the  supremacy  over  his  en- 
tire Church,  both  clergy  and  laity,  represented  by  the 
sheep  and  the  lambs  1  We  say,  open  your  Douay  Tes- 
taments at  the  above-mentioned  chapter,  and  let  the 
text  speak  for  itself.  We  must  remind  you  that  this 
conversation  occurred  after  the  resurrection  of  our 
blessed  Lord.  Upon  a  former  occasion,  as  is  recorded 
by  St.  Matthew  xxvi.  33,  Peter  had  declared,  "Though 
all  men  should  be  scandalized  in  thee,  I  will  never  be 
scandalized" — that  is,  as  explained  by  the  note  in  the 
Douay  Testament,  "  shall  never  be  scandalized  by  his 
running  from,  and  forsaking  his  Master,"  when  he  was 
apprehended  by  the  chief  priests  and  scribes ;  and  we 
know  in  what  a  melancholy  way  Peter  broke  that  prom- 
ise and  denied  his  Master.  It  was,  therefore,  consider- 
ed necessary  by  our  blessed  Lord,  to  restore  Peter 
again  to  his  apostleship,  from  which  he  had  apostatized  ; 
and,  as  Peter  had  denied  our  Lord  three  times,  so,  in 
this  passage,  he  is  three  several  times  restored  to  his 
ministry. 

We  find  this  view  of  the  subject  fully  borne  out  by 
the  message  given  to  the  women,  Mark  xvi.  7,  by  the 
angel — "  Go  and  tell  his  disciples  and  Peter  that  he 
goeth  before  you  into  Galilee."  Here  Peter*  is  not 
called  a  disciple — he  is  specially  named  after  the  dis- 
ciples, as  if  to  mark  how  he  had  forfeited  all  claim  to 
that  office,  not  merely  by  forsaking  our  Lord,  for  that 
they  all  did  at  first,  and  St.  John  is  the  only  one  who 
returned  and  remained  with  his  Master  to  the  last,  but 
on  account  of  his  denial.     Our  Lord,  therefore,  in  the 

*  The  surname  "  Peter"  is  still  given  him,  to  prevent  his  utter  de- 
spair of  being  forgiven. 


52  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

exercise  of  his  infinite  mercy,  sent  specially  for  Peter 
to  restore  him  to  his  office  of  feeding  his  flock,  in  com- 
mon with  the  other  apostles.  "  When  they  had  dined, 
Jesus  saith  to  Simon  Peter — Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest 
thou  me  more  than  these  ?"  John  xxi.  15.  In  thus  ad- 
dressing him  he  wished  to  remind  him  of  the  vain  pre- 
sumptuous manner  in  which,  in  the  above-mentioned  in- 
stance, Matt.  xxvi.  33,  he  had  boasted  of  his  own  at- 
tachment and  fidelity,  at  the  expense  of  the  other  disci- 
ples. He  does  not  now  call  him  "  Peter,''''  signifying 
the  stone,  of  which  title  his  unsteady  conduct  proved  him 
to  be  utterly  unworthy,  but  his  own  proper  name,  "  Si- 
mon, son  of  John  or  Jonas.1'  Peter,  having  been  since 
taught  a  bitter  lesson  respecting  the  folly  and  sinfulness 
-t£  self-confidence,  answers  with  humility,  no  longer 
making  comparisons  between  himself  and  the  other  dis- 
ciples, "  Yea,  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee." 
He  saith  to  him,  "  Feed  my  lambs."  He  saith  to  him 
again,  "  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me  V  Peter 
again  replies,  "  Yea,  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love 
thee."  He  saith  to  him,  "  Feed  my  lambs."  He  saith 
to  him  the  third  time,  "  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou 
me?"  Peter  was  grieved,  because  he  said  to  him  the 
third  time,  "  lovest  thou  me ;"  and  he  said  to  him, 
"  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things — thou  knowest  that  1 
love  thee."     He  said  to  him,  "  Feed  my  sheep." 

If  any  exclusive  honor  or  privilege  were  conferred 
here  upon  Peter,  must  not  Peter  have  been  aware  of  it, 
as  having  heard  the  words  of  our  Lord  addressed  to 
him  personally  1  and,  certainly,  the  other  apostles  had 
also,  we  may  reasonably  suppose,  better  opportunities 
of  understanding  our  Lord's  meaning  than  the  com- 
paratively modern  aspirants  to,  and  supporters  of,  the 
supremacy  of  the  Roman  Church.  Why  was  he  grieved 
when  our  Lord  proposed  the  question  to  him  the  third 
time,  instead  of  being  elated  with  joy  at  this  universal 
authority  being  conferred  upon  him  1  He  was  grieved 
for  either  one  of  two  reasons,  or,  perhaps,  he  was  in- 
fluenced by  both — particularly  by  the  latter  :  either  he 
felt  that  our  Lord  doubted  his  sincerity,  notwithstanding 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        53 

his  profession  of  love  to  him ;  or  that,  when  the  ques- 
tion was  proposed  to  him  the  third  time,  he  then,  and 
not  until  then,  understood  that  it  had  reference  to  his 
having  denied  our  Lord  three  times  ;  and,  although  he 
wept  bitterly,  as  the  Evangelist  tells  us,  when  "  the 
Lord  turned  and  looked  upon  him,"  still  this  was  more 
a  feeling  of  sorrow  and  regret  at  losing  so  kind  a  mas- 
ter, and  of  his  ingratitude  towards  him.  But  Jesus 
now  speaks  to  him  in  a  different  character.  He  has 
now  risen  from  the  dead,  and  Peter's  feeling  of  humil- 
iation and  self-condemnation  must  have  been,  if  possi- 
ble, increased,  when  he  knew  the  real  character  of  that 
Jesus  whom  he  had  renounced  by  denial. 

Why,  if  this  be  not  the  true  sense  of  the  passage, 
should  Peter  have  been  questioned  three  times,  and  the 
last  time  have  felt  grieved'?  But  only  three  verses 
farther  on  we  find  a  passage,  which  proves  beyond  the 
possibility  of  doubt,  that  Peter  was  to  exercise  no  au- 
thority over  the  other  Apostles.  When  Peter  asked  a 
question  concerning  St.  John,  the  beloved  Apostle,  and 
said,  "  Lord,  and  what  shall  this  man  do  V  Jesus  saith 
to  him,  "  If  I  will  have  him  to  remain  till  I  come,  what 
is  it  to  thee  1  follow  thou  me  :"  thus  openly  rebuking 
him  for  presuming  to  interfere  with  John  in  the  exer- 
cise of  that  commission  which  all  the  Apostles  received 
only  from  the  Saviour  himself,  and  which  they  held, 
each  independently  of  any  other  authority  but  that  of 
their  Divine  Master.  Matt,  xxviii.  18-20. 

I  will  now  bring  before  you  a  few  of  those  passages 
from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  show  clearly,  how 
your  Church  is  misleading  you  upon  this  matter.  In 
Matthew  xviii.  1,  and  coming  immediately  after  that 
conversation  held  with  Peter  in  chap,  xvi.,  we  are  told, 
"  At  that  hour  the  disciples  came  to  Jesus,  saying, 
Who,  thinkest  thou,  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven V  Why  did  not  the  disciples,  who  were  present 
at  the  former  conversation  with  Peter,  chap,  xvi.,  un- 
derstand it  as  giving  the  supremacy  to  Peter,  and  then 
there  would  be  no  necessity  for  proposing  this  question 
to  our  Lord ;  or,  if  they  could  possibly  have  been  so 
5* 


54  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

dull  of  comprehension,  as  to  have  misunderstood  our 
Lord,  why  did  not  he  set  them  right  at  once,  and  repeat 
what  he  had  said  before  ?  We  find  in  his  answer  he 
makes  no  allusion  whatever  to  Peter,  but  takes  a  little 
child,  and  sets  him  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  says, 
"  Unless  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as  little  children, 
you  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  We 
are  to  suppose  that  Peter  also  accompanied  the  other 
disciples  to  ask  this  question ;  consequently,  if  he  had 
mistaken  the  nature  of  his  privilege,  that  mistake  would 
now  be  corrected.  Again,  in  the  18th  verse  of  the 
same  chapter,  we  find  all  the  Apostles  equally  endued 
with  the  power  of  binding  and  loosing — granted  the 
same  privilege  which  Peter  had  received  before,  and 
thus  made  equal  to  him.  That  is,  that  whatever  doc- 
trines and  precepts  they,  through  the  guidance  and 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  should  commit  to  wri- 
ting, should  bind  the  whole  Church,  and  should  be 
ratified  and  confirmed  in  heaven,  as  being  suggested 
and  taught  by  God  himself,  John  xiv.  26.  Not  a  word 
here  about  St.  Peter's  sanction  being  necessary. 

Our  Lord  also  mentions,  Matt.  xix.  23,  that  the  twelve 
Apostles  will  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel.  Here  all  are  mentioned  as  being  upon 
equal  terms. 

We  find,  John  xx.  21,  &c,  a  most  direct  proof  that 
the  Apostles  obtained  their  commission,  and  were  to 
exercise  it  independently  of  each  other,  and  conse- 
quently, of  Peter.  After  our  Lord's  resurrection,  we 
hear  him  addressing  them,  and  saying,  "  As  the  Father 
hath  sent  me,  I  also  send  you ;  and  when  he  had  said 
this,  he  breathed  on  them,  and  he  said  to  them,  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive, 
they  are  forgiven  them ;  and  whose  sins  you  shall  re- 
tain, they  are  retained."  Here  we  find  them  individually 
receiving  equal  power,  equal  authority,  to  make  laws 
under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  then  breathed 
upon  them,  to  bind  the  Church.  And,  as  we  before 
stated,  having  committed  those  precepts  and  doctrines 
to  writing,  when  they  had  departed  to  their  eternal  rest, 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        55 

men  would  have  the  means  of  ascertaining,  by  reading 
what  they  had  taught,  the  gospel  plan  of  salvation. 

That  the  Pope,  or  Church  of  Rome,  possesses  this 
power  of  binding  and  loosing,  of  forgiving  and  retain- 
ing offences  or  sins,  is  absurd  in  the  extreme.  As,  in 
the  first  place,  St.  Peter  enjoyed  no  such  exclusive 
privilege,  as  we  see  in  the  Council  of  Jerusalem,  and 
by  St.  Paul  resisting  him  to  the  face,  and  also  because 
the  enjoyment  of  such  a  power  by  any  body  of  men 
succeeding  the  Apostles,  would  naturally  produce  the 
greatest  confusion  and  uncertainty  in  matters  of  faith  ; 
as  we  could  never  be  certain  that  what  the  Apostles  had 
set  forth  in  the  Scriptures  had  not  been  repealed  by 
your  Church.  And  this  will  account  for  the  reluctance 
which  your  Church,  which  claims  such  authority,  natu- 
rally entertains  against  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures. 
As  many  things  are  practised  and  sanctioned  by  her 
which  are  entirely  at  variance  with  what  we  read  there  ; 
your  Church,  in  the  plenitude  of  her  usurped  power, 
having  presumed  to  repeal  and  change  many  express 
ordinances  of  God  himself;  consequently,  with  these 
views  of  your  Church's  authorhy,  the  Holy  Scriptures 
must  be  most  dangerous,  as  calculated  to  unsettle  and 
disturb  the  minds  of  her  members. 

Again,  Matt.  xx.  21,  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  chil- 
dren, with  her  sons,  Mark  x.  35,  James  and  John,  be- 
sought our  Lord,  that  her  two  son§  may  sit,  one  on  his 
right  hand,  and  the  other  on  his  left,  in  his  kingdom. 
Surely  they  could  never  have  supposed  that  the  pri- 
macy or  chieftainship  was  given  to  Peter,  or  such  a 
petition  would  never  have  been  offered ;  and  in  the  an- 
swer given  by  our  Lord,  not  an  allusion  is  made  to  any 
such  grant  having  been  made,  or  that  their  request  was 
an  interference  with  Peter's  alleged  supremacy.  We 
read,  verse  24,  "  When  the  ten  heard  it  they  were  filled 
with  indignation  against  the  two  brethren."  Was  this 
feeling  produced  among  them  on  account  of  Peter's 
privileges,  who  was  one  of  the  ten,  being  encroached 
upon,  and  who  himself  makes  no  special  complaint  in 
consequence  ?    By  no  means,  but  at  the  notion  that  any 


56  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

of  the  Apostles  wished  to  set  themselves  above  the 
others.  The  answer  of  our  Lord  tears  up  the  whole 
of  the  boasted  supremacy  of  Peter  from  its  very  foun- 
dation. Jesus  called  them  to  him,  and  said,  "  You 
know  that  the  princes  of  the  Gentiles  lord  it  over  them, 
and  they  that  are  the  greater  exercise  power  upon 
them.  It  shall  not  be  so  among  you ;  but  whosoever 
wishes  to  be  greater  among  you  let  him  be  your  minis- 
ter, (or  servant ;)  and  he  that  will  be,  (or  wishes  to  be,) 
first  among  you  shall  be  your  servant."  All  the  Apos- 
tles were  thus  encouraged  to  contend  for  no  primacy, 
but  one  of  humility.  Does  this  give  any  countenance 
to  Peter's  supremacy,  or  his  having  any  authority  over 
the  other  Apostles  ?     Surely  not. 

In  Matthew  xxiii.  8,  we  read  how  Jesus  said — "  Be 
not  you  called  Rabbi,  for  one  is  your  master,  and  all 
you  are  brethren  ;  and  call  none  your  father  upon  earth, 
for  one  is  your  Father,  who  is  in  heaven.  Neither  be 
ye  called  masters,  for  one  is  your  master,  Christ." 
How  does  this  agree  with  the  doctrine  of  one  apostle 
being  superior  to  the  others  1  We  also  find,  after  the 
ascension  of  our  blessed  Lord,  that  the  apostles  acted 
upon  this  principle  of  equality,  and  that  it  was  the  reso- 
lution or  decree  of  the  body,  which  was  to  govern  the 
others.  Thus,  in  Acts  viii.  14,  we  read — "  Now,  when 
the  apostles  which  were  in  Jerusalem,  had  heard  that 
Samaria  had  recei*»d  the  word  of  God,  they  sent  to 
them,  Peter  and  John."  Would  the  other  apostles  pre- 
sume to  have  done  this,  if  Peter  were  considered  their 
superior ;  and  we  find  St.  John  and  he,  spoken  of  here 
in  the  same  terms.  Our  blessed  Lord  mentions  this 
very  act,  as  a  proof  of  the  inferiority  in  that  respect  of 
the  person  sent,  John  xiii.  16 — "  Amen,  Amen,  I  say 
to  you,  the  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord  ;  neither 
is  the  apostle  (or  person  sent)  greater  than  he  that  sent 
him."  Thus  Peter  and  John,  who  were  sent  by  the 
other  apostles  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Samaria,  could 
not  be  considered,  as  our  Lord  expresses  it,  greater 
than  those  other  apostles  who  were  at  Jerusalem, 
and  who  sent  them  on  their  mission.     We  never  hear 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        57 

of  the  Pope,  or  Bishop  of  Rome,  being-  sent  by  the 
Cardinals  or  his  fellow-bishops  upon  such  a  mission. 
And  why  ]  Because  he  claims  an  authority  and  power 
never  enjoyed  or  thought  of  by  Peter  or  the  other 
apostles. 

In  Acts  xv.  we  read  of  a  council  being  held  at  Jeru- 
salem. If  Peter  were  considered  chief  of  the  apostles, 
surely  he  would  have  presided  ;  but  we  find  he  did  not. 
It  was  after  there  had  been  much  disputing  that  Peter 
delivered  his  opinion,  v.  7,  which,  we  learn,  was  not 
final ;  for  after  that,  Paul  and  Barnabas  spoke  ;  and  last- 
ly, St.  James,  who,  it  appears,  presided  at  the  council, 
delivers  his  judgment,  and  sums  up  all  the  preceding 
arguments,  v.  19.  As  the  result  of  this  judgment,  we 
read,  v.  22,  how  "  it  pleased  the  apostles  and  ancients, 
with  the  wyhole  church,  to  choose  men,"  &c.  And 
again,  hear  the  wording  of  the  decree  sent  forth  to  the 
brethren  of  the  Gentiles,  v.  23 — "  The  apostles  and 
ancients,  brethren,  to  the  brethren  of  the  Gentiles,"  &c. 
In  the  entire  of  this  decree  there  is  no  mention  what- 
ever made  of  Peter,  which  omission  surely  could  not 
have  occurred,  were  he  the  chief  of  the  apostolic  col- 
lege. In  every  decree  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
for  the  last  several  hundred  years  from  the  time  of  his 
usurpation,  the  name  of  the  Bishop  or  Pope  of  Rome 
appears  in  a  very  prominent  place,  as  if  no  decree 
could  go  forth  without  his  sanction? 

There  is  another  important  consideration  suggested 
by  this  apostolic  council.  Jerusalem  was,  unquestion- 
ably, the  mother  church,  where  the  Gospel  was  first 
preached  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  this  church  was 
presided  over,  as  we  see,  by  St.  James,  the  bishop. 
We  ask,  as  the  Roman  Church  did  not  exist  at  that 
time,  over  what  particular  church  did  St.  Peter  pre- 
side 1  You  may  answer,  over  the  entire  Christian 
world.  Admitted,  for  argument  sake.  Upon  what  au- 
thority, then,  does  the  Bishop  of  Rome  claim  to  be  the 
only  bishop  entitled  to  that  supremacy?  Did  Peter 
preside  over  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  his  brother  apos- 
tle ;  and  if  he  did,  was  it  not  in  the  capacity  of  univer- 


58  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

sal  bishop  ?  It  would  appear  from  this  reasoning,  that 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  has  no  title  to  be  universal  bishop 
or  successor  to  St.  Peter — such  a  title  involves  a  con- 
tradiction of  terms — and  that  the  church  of  Christ 
would  exist,  even  though  there  were  no  Bishop  of 
Rome — or  even  though  he  were  a  heretic — or  even 
though  there  were  two  or  three  claimants  for  the  Pope- 
dom, all  of  which  cases  have  occurred.  There  was  no 
successor  to  Peter,  in  the  Roman  Catholic  sense,  and 
upon  reference  to  the  first  chapter  of  his  second  Epis- 
tle, we  shall  find  St.  Peter  speaking  in  the  plainest 
terms  of  his  death — being  assured,  as  he  says,  v.  14, 
"  that  the  laying  away  of  this  my  tabernacle  is  at  hand, 
according  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  also  hath  signified 
to  me."  Why  should  he  not  here  speak  of  his  succes- 
sor ?  This  would  have  been  the  proper  time,  if  he 
were  to  have  any.  Why  would  he  not  here  tell  those 
whom  he  was  addressing,  that  they  were  to  appoint 
some  person  in  his  room,  to  whose  advice  they  were  to 
refer,  and  to  whose  authority  they  were  to  submit  ? 
He  alludes  to  nothing  of  the  kind ;  he  refers  to  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  whereunto,  he  tells  them,  they  would 
do  well  to  attend,  v.  19,  for  prophecy  came  not  by  the 
will  of  man  at  any  time,  but  holy  men  of  God  spoke 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Many  other  arguments  can  be  brought  forward  upon 
the  subject.  I  shall  only  mention  two  in  addition, 
which  show  the  utter  inconsistency  of  the  doctrine. 
St.  John,  we  know,  survived  St.  Peter.  Was  St.  Pe- 
ter's alleged  successor,  or  Bishop  of  Rome,  Linus  or 
Cletus — for,  strange  to  say,  even  upon  this  successor- 
ship,  Roman  Catholic  authors  are  not  agreed — superior 
in  authority  to  St.  John  ?  The  supposition  is  absurd. 
And  again,  was  Peter  superior  in  authority  to  the 
blessed  Virgin  Mary  1  Was  she  one  of  the  sheep  or 
lambs  who  were  given  up  to  his  charge,  when,  on  the 
contrary,  we  read  she  was  given  in  charge  to  John,  the 
beloved  apostle  ? 

One  favorite  argument  used  by  your  church,  and  up- 
on which  you  lay  great  stress,  is  derived  from  the  fol- 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        59 

lowing  passage — "  And  the  Lord  said,  '  Simon,  Simon, 
behold  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may 
sift  you  as  wheat ;  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy 
faith  fail  not,  and  thou,  being  once  converted,  confirm 
thy  brethren.' "  Luke  xxii.  31,  32.  Satan,  said  our 
Lord,  has  desired  to  have  you,  (all  my  disciples,)  but  I 
have  prayed  specially  for  thee,  Simon,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not  utterly,  as  the  word  in  the  original  signifies, 
which  our  Lord  knew  would  certainly  happen  when  he 
denied  him,  but  for  his  merciful  interference.  Do  ycu, 
then,  said  our  Lord,  when  you  are  converted,  confirm 
or  strengthen  thy  brethren.  Show  them  in  your  own 
case,  the  mercy  of  God,  and  teach  them  the  special 
wisdom  and  knowledge  he  possesses,  by  which  your 
faults  were  foreshown.  As  to  its  being  a  proof  of  supe- 
riority, and  confined  to  Peter  alone,  we  can  show  that 
such  is  not  the  case  ;  for  we  read,  Acts  xiv.  22,  how 
Paul  and  Barnabas  "  confirmed  the  souls  of  the  disci- 
ples, and  exhorted  them  to  continue  in  the  faith."  On- 
ly a  few  verses  farther,  we  read  of  the  angel  who  was 
strengthening  or  confirming  our  Lord  in  his  agony  in 
the  garden,  v.  43  ;  and  surely  the  angel  was  not  supe- 
rior to  our  Lord.  St.  Peter  speaks  of  the  Prince  of 
Pastors,  but  in  doing  so  he  specially  alludes  to  our 
Lord,  when  he  says,  1  Peter  v.  4 — "  When  the  Prince 
of  Pastors  shall  appear,"  &c,  meaning  the  coming  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Thus  you  see  that  the  belief  in  the  one  holy  Catholic 
and  Apostolic  Church  is  not  necessarily  connected  with 
the  belief  in  St.  Peter's  supremacy,  which  we  have 
shown  from  Scripture  to  be  utterly  unfounded,  and  con- 
sequently has  nothing  to  say  to  your  Pope's  pretended 
claim.  The  expression  "  Apostolic"  in  the  Creed  is 
most  remarkable.  It  refers  to  all  the  Apostles  as  being 
the  founders  of  the  Catholic  Church.  St.  Paul  gives 
us  this  view  very  plainly,  Ephes.  ii.  19,  &c.  He  is 
addressing  the  saints  who  are  in  Ephesus,  and  the  faith- 
ful in  Christ  Jesus,  i.  1.  "  You,"  he  says,  are  "  fellow- 
citizens  with  the  saints  and  the  domestics  of  God,  built 
upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus 


60  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone,  in  whom 
all  the  building  framed  together  groweth  up  into  an 
holy  temple  unto  the  Lord."  Here  we  find  all  the 
Apostles  and  Prophets  are  mentioned  as  being  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Church — not  merely  one.  What,  then, 
becomes  of  the  assertion,  that  the  Church  is  founded 
and  built  upon  Peter  alone  1 

The  Roman  Church  assumes  to  be  infallible  :  that  is, 
that  she  cannot  err.  Because  our  blessed  Lord  has  de- 
clared that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  never  prevail  against 
his  Church,  therefore  the  Roman  Church  claims  to  be 
infallible.  The  Church  of  Christ  is  two-fold — the  visi- 
ble and  the  invisible ;  and  one  of  the  causes  of  your 
falling  into  error  upon  this  matter  arises  from  your  not 
having  both  these  distinctions  clear  before  you :  your 
teachers  wilfully  confound  them.  There  is  no  promise 
of  freedom  from  error  given  in  Scripture  to  any  visible, 
individual  Church.  Look  to  the  Jewish  Church,  under 
the  immediate  control  and  government  of  God  himself, 
and  surely  that  Church  was  not  free  from  error,  as  its 
history  down  to  the  crucifixion  of  our  Lord  to  the  sub- 
sequent destruction  of  Jerusalem  fully  shows.  Look 
to  the  history  of  the  early  Christian  Churches,  recorded 
by  faithful  authors,  and  you  can  learn  how  every  visible 
Church  erred.  Some  have  altogether  ceased  to  exist. 
Look  to  your  own  proud  and  haughty  Church  of  Rome, 
which  claims  infallibility.  Look  to  her  during  the  Arian 
heresy  which  prevailed  in  the  fourth  century,  and  prin- 
cipally against  which  the  Council  of  Nice  was  held, 
whose  Creed  we  have  been  considering.  One  of  your 
Popes  or  Bishops  of  Rome,  Liberius,  was  a  heretic, 
and  affixed  his  name  to  the  Arian  doctrine,  that  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  was  only  the  highest  of 
created  beings,  and  not  God.  Many  other  instances  I 
could  give,  but  space  would  not  permit. 

Where  does  this  infallibility  exist  1  In  whom  does  it 
centre  1  How  is  it  to  be  called  forth  1  Not  in  coun- 
cils ;  for  we  have  council  contradicting  council.  Not 
in  Popes ;  for  we  have  one  Pope  anathematizing  or 
cursing  another  Pope.     Not  in  both  united ;    for  we 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        61 

have  them  in  direct  opposition  to  each  other.  If  such 
an  infallibility,  as  your  Church  claims,  did  exist,  surely 
there  would  be  rules  given  whereby  to  discover  it ;  but 
all  these  rules  we  search  for  in  vain.  The  infallibility 
or  truth  of  the  invisible  Church  is  a  different  matter 
altogether ;  that  Church  consists,  to  use  the  language 
of  St.  Peter,  Acts  x.  35,  "  of  those  in  every  nation  who 
fear  God  and  work  justice."  Our  Lord  himself,  John 
xiv.  16,  speaks  of  this  Church,  where  he  says,  "  I  will 
ask  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  Paraclete 
or  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever  ;  the 
Spirit  of  Truth,  whom  the  world  cannot  receive  because 
it  seeth  him  not,  nor  knoweth  him,  but  you  shall  know 
him,  because  he  shall  abide  with  you  and  shall  be  in 
you."  Here  we  see  a  plain  distinction  between  the 
world,  the  external  professors  of  the  Gospel,  and  those 
who  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  who,  as  our  Lord 
said,  John  xvi.  13,  "will  teach  them  all  truth." 
"  Many,"  as  our  Lord  says,  upon  another  occasion, 
Matt.  xvi.  20,  "are  called,  but  few  are  chosen." 
Christ,  as  St.  Paul  tells  us,  Ephes.  v.  25,  27,  "  loved 
the  Church,  and  delivered  himself  for  it,  that  he  might 
present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  Church,  not  having  spot 
or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,  but  that  it  should  be  holy 
and  without  blemish ;"  and  this  Church  is  formed  by 
the  influence  and  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  No  man 
can  say  the  Lord  Jesus,"  or  confess  Jesus  to  be  the 
Christ,  as  St.  Paul  tells  us,  1  Cor.  xii.  3,  "  but  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  "  The  kingdom  of  God,"  said  our  Lord, 
Luke  xvii.  20,  21,  "  cometh  not  with  observation;  for 
lo,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you."  And  again, 
1  John  ii.  20,  "  you  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy 
One,  (that  is,  grace  and  wisdom  from  the  Holy  Ghost,) 
and  know  all  these  things."  All  those  things  which 
were  taught  by  our  blessed  Lord,  and  by  his  Apostles 
by  his  command,  are  set  forth  in  those  inspired  writings, 
which  Paul  tells  us,  2  Tim.  iii.  15,  "are  able  to  in- 
struct us  to  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

Before  we  leave  this  subject  of  the  Catholic  and 
6 


bii  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Apostolic  Church,  I  would  make  one  further  remark. 
The  faith  of  the  Church  at  Rome  was  spoken  of,  as 
St.  Paul  tells  us,  in,  or  throughout,  the  whole  world, 
Romans  i.  8  ;  and  he  gives  thanks  to  God  through  Je- 
sus Christ  for  them  all,  on  this  very  account :  and  yet 
we  hear  the  Apostle  saying,  chap.  xi.  21,  "for  if  God 
hath  not  spared  the  natural  branches,  take  care,  lest 
perhaps  he  also  spare  not  thee.  See,  then,  the  good- 
ness and  the  severity  of  God,  towards  them  indeed  that 
are  fallen  the  severity,  but  towards  thee,  the  goodness 
of  God,  if  thou  abide  in  goodness,  otherwise  thou  also 
shalt  be  cut  off."  Is  it  not,  then,  most  remarkable,  that 
the  Roman  Church  is  the  only  Church  which  received 
this  caution  from  St.  Paul,  as  if  the  Apostle,  taught  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  had  foreseen  how  that  Church  wouid 
apostatize  from  the  pure  faith,  and  introduce  into  her 
service  and  doctrines,  as  we  have  seen,  various  unSbrip- 
tural  novelties.  This  threat,  or  warning  of  St.  Paul 
can  only  refer  to  the  Roman  Church,  considered  as  a 
particular  visible  Church,  as  it  was  utterly  impossible 
for  the  invisible  Church  of  Christ  to  fail.*  We  find  in 
this  Epistle  not  even  the  name  of  Peter ;  though  the 
faith  of  the  Roman  Church,  as  we  before  remarked, 
was  spoken  of  throughout  the  world — and  in  the  con- 
cluding chapter  of  this  Epistle,  though  many  celebrated 
Christians  living  at  Rome  are  mentioned,  yet  Peter  is 
not — a  convincing  proof  that  he  could  not  have  been 
exercising  his  episcopal  functions  there  at  that  time. 

Sufficient  has  been  said  to  prove  that  the  Holy  Cath- 
olic Apostolic  Church,  in  which  we  profess  our  belief 
in  the  Nicene  Creed,  cannot  he  the  Church  of  kom§ ; 
as  she  is  neither  Catholic,  in  the  scriptural  sense  of  the 
word,  nor  Apostolic,  as  following  those  doctrines  set 
fortli  by  the  Apostles  in  their  writings. 

We  may  here  remark  upon  an  expression  in  the 
Apostles'  Creed,  upon  which  your  Church  affects  to 
place  great  stress,  as  justifying  your  asking  the  interces- 

*  Many  visible  Churches,  however,  always  rejected  the  pretensions 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  differed  from  her  in  doctrine.  The  Greek 
and  other  Eastern  Churches,  &c,  for  instance. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        63 

sion  of  the  saints,  namely,  "the  communion  of  saints." 
You  can  easily  understand  the  meaning-  of  this  expres- 
sion from  what  we  have  said  concerning  the  invisible 
Church  of  Christ ;  and  it  comes  immediately  after  the 
profession  of  the  belief  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the 
Holy  Catholic  Church.  The  meaning  is,  that  all  God's 
faithful  servants  are  led  and  instructed  by  the  same 
Spirit,  in  the  one  true  faith  in  Jesus,  "  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life,"  and  that  they  all  drink  of  the  same 
fountain  of  living  waters.  St.  Paul,  Eph.  iv.  3,  alludes 
to  this,  when  he  cautions  the  faithful  to  keep  the  unity 
of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace — one  body  and  one 
spirit — as  you  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling — 
"  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father 
of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  us  all." 
St.  John  says,  1  John  i.  7,  "  But  if  we  walk  in  the 
light,  as  he  also  is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one 
with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son, 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  See  also  John  xvii.  20,  21 ; 
1  Cor.  x.  16-17.  There  are  many  other  passages  il- 
lustrating this  subject ;  and  thus  we  see  it  has  nothing 
whatever  to  say  on  the  invocation  of  saints. 

RUBRIC    AFTER    THE    NICENE    CREED. 

Deinde  osculatur  altare  et  versus  ad  populum  dicit. 
S.  Dominus  vobiscum. — R.  Et  cum  spiritu  tuo.  Pos- 
tea  dicit  "  Oremus,"  et  offertarium.  Quo  dicto  si  est 
missa  solemnis,  Diaconus  porrigit  celebranti  patenam 
cum  hostia.  Si  privata  sacerdos  ipse  accipit  patenam 
cum  hostia  quam  offerens  dicit. 

T. — Then  he  (the  priest)  kisses  the  altar,  and  turn- 
ing to  the  people,  says,  "  The  Lord  be  with  you."  Re- 
sponse— "And  with  thy  spirit."  After  this,  he  says, 
"  Let  us  pray,"  and  the  Offertory,  (which  is  a  verse 
or  verses  of  Scripture  different  upon  different  days.) 
Which,  being  repeated,  if  it  be  a  solemn  Mass,  the 
deacon  gives  the  paten  with  the  host  to  the  officiating 
priest.  If  it  be  a  private  Mass,  the  priest  himself 
takes  the  paten  with  the  host,  which,  offering  up,  he 
says — 


64  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

R. — Suscipe,  sancte  Pater  Omnipotens,  acterne  Dens, 
hanc  inmaculatam  hosliam  quam  ego  indignus  famulus 
tuus  offero  tibi,  Deo  meo  vivo  et  vero,  pro  innumera- 
hilibus  peccatis  et  offensionibus,  et  neglegentiis  meis  et 
pro  omnibus  circumstantibus,  sed  et  pro  omnibus  fideli- 
bus  Christianis,  vivis  atque  defunctis,  ut  mihi  et  illis 
proficiat  ad  salutem  in  vitam  aeternam.     Amen. 

T. — Receive,  O  holy  Father  Almighty,  everlasting 
God,  this  unspotted,  host,  which  I,  thine  unworthy  ser- 
vant, offer  unto  thee,  my  living  and  true  God,  for  my 
innumerable  faults  and  offences,  and  negligences,  and 
for  all  here  present,  and  also  for  all  faithful  Christians, 
both  living  and  dead,  that  it  may  profit  me  and  them  for 
our  salvation  to  eternal  life.     Amen. 

This  seems  a  strange  prayer,  even  upon  your  own 
principles.  The  word  "  host"  which  is  so  familiar  to 
you  in  the  Mass,  is  the  translation  of  "  hostia,"  mean- 
ing a  "victim"  or  "sacrifice."  What  is  this  your 
Church  calls  a  host,  and  which  the  priest  offers  to 
God  1  Surely  it  is  no  more  than  mere  flour  and  water, 
just  as  it  comes  from  the  hands  of  the  baker.  Re- 
member, no  change  has  as  yet  taken  place,  no  transub- 
stantiating prayer  has  yet  been  said ;  but  it  is  nothing 
more  nor  less,  even  upon  Roman  Catholic  grounds,  than 
simple  bread  or  wafer  ;  and  yet  your  priest,  as  instruct- 
ed by  your  infallible  Church,  takes  this  up  and  offers  it 
to  God  as  a  sacrifice  for  his  sins,  and  for  the  sins  of  all 
present,  and  for  those  of  all  the  faithful,  both  living  and 
dead.  How  can  you  possibly  justify  such  a  prayer  in 
such  a  place  1  Show  any  authority  from  the  Apostles, 
that  bread  is  to  be  considered  as  a  sacrifice  offered  to 
God  for  our  sins.  No  Church  but  your  own,  presuming 
upon  her  infallibility,  would  attempt  such  an  outrage 
upon  even  common  sense  and  consistency. 

R. — Deinde  faciens  crucem  cum  eadem  patena,  de- 
ponit  hostiam  super  corporale.  Diaconus  ministrat  vi- 
num.  Subdiaconus  aquam  in  calice  ;  vel  si  privata  est 
missa  utrumque  infundit  sacerdos,  et  aquam  miscendam 
in  calice  benedicit  •{«  dicens. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        65 

T. — Then  making  the  sign  of  the  Cross  with  the 
same  paten,  he  places  the  host  upon  the  corporal  ;  the 
deacon  pours  the  wine,  the  sub-deacon  the  water  into 
the  chalice.  But  if  it  be  a  private  Mass,  the  priest 
pours  in  both,  and  blesses  the  water  to  be  mixed  in  the 
chalice  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  saying — 

We  perceive  here,  that  water  is  mixed  with  the  wine  ; 
our  blessed  Lord,  we  read,  did  nothing  of  the  sort — and 
St.  Paul,  in  his  description  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
Lord's  supper  was  to  be  celebrated,  and  to  which  we 
referred  before,  1  Cor.  xi.  23,  is  silent  as  to  any  such 
practice.  Consequently,  the  Reformed  Church  rejected 
the  use  of  water  in  the  Eucharist.  We  shall  hereafter 
show  how  utterly  inconsistent,  mixing  the  water  with 
the  wine  is  with  your  other  present  tenets  ;*  for  if  the 
early  Christians  believed  the  wine  to  be  the  real  blood 
of  our  Lord,  they  never  would  have  polluted  it  with 
mixture  of  water. 

Oratio. — Deus  qui  humanae  substantia?  dignitatem 
mirabiliter  condidisti,  et  mirabilius  reformasti.  Da  no- 
bis per  hujus  aquae  et  vini  mysterium,  ejus  divinitatis 
esse  consortes,  qui  humanitatis  nostras  fieri  dignatus  est 
particeps,  Jesus  Christus,  Filius  tuus,  Dominus  noster. 
Qui  tecum  vivit  et  regnat  in  unitate  Spiritus  Sancti 
Deus,  per  omnia  saecula  saeculorum.     Amen. 

Prayer. — 0  God,  who  hast  wonderfully  constituted 
the  dignity  of  human  nature,  and  more  wonderfully  re- 
formed it,  grant  to  us,  through  the  mystery  of  this  water 
and  wine,  to  be  partakers  of  his  divinity,  who  conde- 
scended to  be  partaker  of  our  humanity,  even  Jesus 
Christ,  thy  Son,  our  Lord,  who  liveth  and  reigneth  in  the 
unity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  God,  world  without  end.  Amen. 

This  prayer,  we  would  remark,  where  you  petition, 

*  The  practice  was  introduced  at  a  very  early  period  into  the  Church. 
The  mixture  of  water  with  the  wine.  Cyprian  tells  us,  "  signifies  the 
union  betwixt  Christ  and  believers,"  Epis.  63.  Others  say  it  represents 
the  water  and  the  blood  which  flowed  from  the  wounded  side  of  our 
blessed  Lord — Athanasius  says,  "  it  typifies  the  union  of  the  Eternal 
Word  with  the  human  nature."  This  last  meaning  is  alluded  to  iu 
the  prayer  following. 

6* 


66  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

"  that  through  the  mystery  of  this  water  and  wine  you 
may  be  partakers  of  our  Lord's  divinity,"  if  we  under- 
stand its  meaning  correctly,  which,  in  truth,  is  not  very 
easy,  namely,  the  partaking  of  our  Lord's  divinity 
through  the  mystery  of  this  water  and  wine,  appears  to 
militate  against  some  of  your  other  doctrines ;  for  it  is 
only  his  divinity  you  pray  to  partake  of — not  his  carnal 
body  and  blood — a  doctrine  not  known  when  the  prayer 
was  made. 

R. — In  missa  pro  defunctis  dicitur  predicta  oratio  sed 
aqua  non  benedictur. 

T. — In  Masses  for  the  dead,  the  above-mentioned 
prayer  is  said,  but  the  water  is  not  blessed. 

Here,  another  novelty  of  your  Church  is  introduced ; 
"  Masses  for,"  and  "  praying  for"  the  dead.  You  cer- 
tainly cannot  call  this  an  apostolic  doctrine,  for  you  find 
nothing  to  sanction  any  such  practice.  Where  our 
Lord  commanded  his  apostles  to  teach  all  nations  those 
things  which  he  had  commanded,  Mat.  xxviii.  20 ;  and 
where  he  also  promised  that  the  Holy  Spirit  or  the  Pa- 
raclete whom  he  promised  to  send,  would  bring  all 
things  which  he  had  taught  to  their  remembrance,  John 
xiv.  26 ;  does  it  not  appear  strange,  if  such  a  practice 
were  to  be  used,  how  the  inspired  apostles  could  be  si- 
lent upon  the  subject  1  They  are  silent  upon  the  sub- 
ject, and  therefore  we  conclude  that  such  a  practice  be- 
comes a  species  of  will-worship,  against  which  we  are 
so  forcibly  cautioned  by  St.  Paul,  Col.  ii.  18  ;  imagining 
that  we  can  improve  the  religion  of  the  Gospel  as  taught 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  or  God  himself.  We  hear  the  apos- 
tles and  our  blessed  Lord  frequently  speaking  of  prayer 
— exhorting  us  in  numerous  passages  to  pray  for  our- 
selves, and  for  our  brethren.  "  Pray  for  one  another," 
says  St.  James,  v.  16  ;  implying  that  our  prayers  should 
be  reciprocal,  as  I  endeavored  to  show  in  the  preceding 
pages.  Why  then,  as  they  so  frequently  alluded  to  the 
subject,  did  they  not  mention  if  prayers  for  the  dead 
were  necessary  1 

A  natural  consequence  followed  from  this  practice, 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        67 

namely — the  supposition  that  they  were  in  some  place 
in  which  they  could  be  helped  or  assisted — and  thus 
purgatory  was  introduced ;  and  it  was  taught,  that  the 
souls  of  many  who  departed,  and  who  were  not  guilty 
of  sins  sufficient  to  condemn  them  to  hell  forever,  were 
consigned  to  a  place  called  "  purgatory,"  from  the  Latin 
word  "  purgo,"  to  cleanse,  and  that  there  they  remained 
until  all  their  sins  were  atoned  for.  This  doctrine  led 
to  another  antiscriptural  belief,  in  the  difference  be- 
tween mortal  and  venial  sins,  a  distinction  of  which  we 
find  no  trace  in  the  word  of  God  ;  and  also  to  that  which 
is  alluded  to  in  the  preceding  rubric,  namely,  "  offering 
up  Masses  for  the  dead."  Upon  reference  to  Church 
history,  we  shall  discover  that  these  several  doctrines 
shortly  followed  each  other,  and  were  successively  in- 
troduced into  the  public  formularies. 

With  respect  to  the  difference  between  "  venial"  and 
"mortal"  sin,  there  is  no  sin  venial  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Sin  has  been  defined  by  the  apostle  Paul,  Rom.  iv.  15, 
to  be  "  a  transgression  of  God's  law."  It  is  not  so 
much,  what  we  may  consider  the  magnitude  of  the  sin 
is  displeasing  to  God,  as  the  spirit,  or  disposition  which 
prompts  the  commission.  Thus,  what  was  the  offence 
of  our  first  parents  1  only  eating  "  fruit  which  was  for- 
bidden," and  still  that  one  offence  brought  death,  tem- 
poral and  spiritual,  upon  the  whole  world.  In  Adam 
all  die,  I  Cor.  xv.  22.  St.  James  tells  us,  "  Now,  who- 
soever shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  shall  offend  in 
one  point,  shall  become  guilty  of  all,"  James  ii.  10;  and 
Paul  says,  Rom.  iii.  19,  "  Now  we  know  that  what 
things  soever  the  law  speaketh,  it  speaketh  to  them  that 
are  in  the  law,  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped." 
God's  law  has  declared,  "  the  soul  that  sinneth  shall  die," 
Ezek.  xiii.  4.  No  offence  against  the  authority  of  an 
infinite  Being  can  be  a  trivial  offence.  Our  blessed 
Lord  tells  us  that,  "  even  for  every  idle  word  men  speak, 
they  shall  render  an  account  of  it  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment," Mat.  xii.  36  ;*  where,  then,  are  the  grounds 

*  Mark,  for  "  idle  words,"  which  your  church  calls  venial  sins,  we 


68  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

from  Scripture  for  your  making  any  such  distinctions  ? 
Where  is  the  man  who  has  not  what  you  call  mortal  or 
deadly  sin  to  repent  of,  and  for  which  to  seek  pardon  1 
And  if  the  blood  of  Christ  can  cleanse  from  greater  sins, 
why  should  it  be  incapable  of  cleansing  from  lesser  1 

Your  Church  has  invented  this  distinction  in  order  to 
prop  up  her  doctrine  of  purgatory,  which  she  teaches  is 
a  middle  state  between  this  present  time  and  the  day  of 
judgment,  in  which  the  temporal  punishment  of  mortal 
sin  will  be  endured,  and  venial  punished,  until  God's 
justice  is  satisfied. 

Because  we  find  that  temporal  judgments  are  inflict- 
ed in  this  world  after  God  has  forgiven  the  sin,  as  was 
the  case  of  David,  2  Sam.  xii.  13,  14,  you  conclude 
that  those  temporal  penalties  are  carried  on  to  the  next 
world.  Is  this  a  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Apostolic 
Church  ?  if  so,  we  inquire  where  it  is  taught  by  our 
Lord  or  his  holy  Apostles  ?  Your  Church  quotes  some 
passages  in  Scripture,  none  of  which  have  any  refer- 
ence to  purgatory,  and  if  you  believe  they  all  refer  to 
it,  you  will  find  they  absolutely  contradict  each  other. 
You  defend  the  necessity  of  purgatory  upon  the  princi- 
ple "  that  God  will  render  to  every  man  according  to 
his  works,"  2  Cor.  v.  10 ;  now  what  would  be  the  con- 
sequence of  this  declaration  being  carried  out  literally 
with  respect  to  us  1  That  no  man  living  could  be  saved. 
You  confess  your  unworthiness  in  the  sight  of  God  for 
your  faults,  your  very  grievous  faults — and  for  what  do 
you  ask  1  is  it  to  be  treated  as  you  deserve  1  no,  but  for 
mercy,  for  pardon — pardon  undeserved  by  you,  pur- 
chased for  you  by  Jesus,  God's  beloved  Son,  by  his  own 
most  precious  blood.  Such  a  doctrine  would  consign 
vou  to  hell  for  ever,  if  Jesus  did  not  interfere  in  your 
behalf. 

You  refer  to  Matt.  xii.  32,  where  our  Lord  says, 
"  But  he  that  shall  speak  against  the  Holy  Ghost  it 
shall  not  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this  wrorld,  nor  the 
world  to  come ;"  from  which  you  conclude  that  there 

must  account — not  in  purgatory — but  at  the  day  of  judgment,  when 
purgatory  has  ceased. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        69 

are  sins  which  may  be  remitted  in  the  world  to  come  ; 
a  very  important  conclusion  from  very  insufficient  prem- 
ises. You  refer  again  to  another  passage  in  support  of 
purgator)*-,  where  our  Lord  says,  Matt.  v.  25  ;  "  Be  at 
agreement  with  thy  adversary  quickly  whiles  thou  art 
in  the  way  with  him,  lest  perhaps  the  adversary  deliver 
thee  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  to  the  officer,  and 
thou  be  cast  into  prison,  26 ;  amen  I  say  unto  thee, 
thou  shalt  not  go  out  from  thence  till  thou  pay  the  last 
farthing."  Both  these  passages,  your  Church  says,  re- 
fer to  purgatory.  In  the  one  you  say,  sins  may  be  for- 
given in  the  next  world  ;  in  the  other,  that  a  person 
cannot  come  out  thence,  that  is  from  purgatory,  till  he 
has  paid  the  last  farthing.  Surely  if  sins  are  to  be  for- 
given, payment  for  those  sins  is  not  required.  If  I  for- 
give a  debt,  does  it  not  seem  absurd  to  require  payment 
to  the  last  farthing  for  that  debt]  and  yet  such  is  the 
contradiction  involved  by  the  Roman  interpretation  of 
these  two  texts.  The  note  in  the  Douay  Testament, 
Matt.  i.  25,  upon  the  word  "  until,"  says,  "  these  are 
ways  of  speech  common  among  the  Hebrews,"  as  David 
says,  Psalm  ex. — "  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  sit 
thou  on  my  right  hand  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy 
footstool."     Both  these  texts  imply  perpetuity. 

Your  Church  refers  to  1  Cor.  iii.  13,  14,  in  support 
of  this  doctrine.  This  passage,  we  shall  find,  has  noth- 
ing to  do  with  the  subject.  In  verse  11,  St.  Paul  says, 
"  for  other  foundation  no  man  can  lay  than  is  laid,  which 
is  Jesus  Christ."*  Christ  being  the  son  of  the  living 
God  was  the  foundation  of  the  Catholic  and  Apostolic 
Church.  "  Now,  if  any  man  build  upon  this  founda- 
tion, gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stubble, 
every  man's  work  shall  be  manifest ;  for  the  day  of  the 
Lord  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  in  fire, 
and  the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it 
is.  If  any  man's  work  abide  which  he  hath  built  there- 
upon he  shall  receive  a  reward.  If  any  man's  work 
burn  he  shall  suffer  loss,  but  he  himself  shall  be  saved, 
yet  so  as  by  fire." 

*  Not  Peter,  as  you  are  falsely  taught  to  believe. 


70  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

What  is  meant  here  by  the  day  of  the  Lord  1  we 
shall  find  many  passages  to  show  that  it  refers  to  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  all  those  various  persecu- 
tions to  which  the  church  was  to  be  exposed.  See 
Malachi  iii.  2,  3  ;  also  iv.  1  ;  Joel  ii.  1,  30;  1  Thess. 
v.  2.  It  clearly  cannot  refer  to  the  fire  of  purgatory, 
for  then  all  would  go  there  for  a  time,  as  it  was  to  try 
every  mail's  work,  v.  13,  even  the  blessed  apostles  and 
the  Virgin  Mary  and  all  the  saints  of  God  would  be 
subjected  to  it ;  but  this  we  know  from  various  passages 
from  God's  word  is  not  the  case  ;  John  tells  us,  1  Epis. 
i.  7,  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all 
iin,"  which  includes  both  mortal  and  venial  sins.  All 
were  to  be  tried  by  the  fire  of  persecution,  and  their 
faults  would  thus  be  made  manifest.  If  they  built  on 
Jesus,  the  one  only  sure  foundation,  though  some  of 
their  doctrines  may  have  been  erroneous,  signified  by 
the  words  hay  and  stubble  ;  yet  still,  as  their  foundation 
was  secure,  they  would  be  saved  through  that  founda- 
tion, "  yet  so  as  by  fire,"  as  brands  plucked  from  the 
fire,  or  persons  escaping  with  their  lives  from  a  fire. 
The  fire  spoken  of  here,  mark,  was  not  to  punish,  but 
to  try,  to  prove  of  what  nature  every  man's  work  was  ; 
and  thus  you  see  that  this  passage  gives  no  sanction  to 
your  belief.  The  Roman  purgatory  is  to  punish,  not  to 
try,  or  put  to  the  test. 

A  passage  is  also  quoted  from  1  Peter,  iii.  18,  &c. 
to  prove  the  existence  of  purgatory.  We  shall  find  this 
passage,  also,  gives  but  little  support  to  your  church. 
"  Because  Christ  also  died  for  our  sins,  the  just  for  the 
unjust,  that  he  might  offer  us  to  God  ;*  being  put  to 
death,  indeed,  in  the  flesh,  but  brought  to  life  by  the 
Spirit.  In  which,  also,  he  came  and  preached  to  those 
spirits  that  were  in  prison,  which  had  been  sometime 
incredulous,  when  they  waited  for  the  patience  of  God 
in  the  days  of  Noe,  when  the  ark  was  building,  wherein 
a  few,  that  is,  eight  souls  were  saved  by  water."  In 
this  passage  we  are  told  by  St.  Peter,  that  Jesus,  in 

*  See  here  how  Jesus  himself  offers  the  sinner  to  God  for  pardon, 
and  does  not  require  the  assistance  of  the  angels  or  saints. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH         71 

order  to  bring  us  to  God,  suffered  himself  to  be  put  to 
death  in  the  flesh,  but  was  brought  to  life  by  the  Spirit, 
or  Holy  Spirit.  St.  Paul  tells  us  the  same  thing ;  he 
says,  Romans,  viii.  11 — "  If  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised 
up  Jesus  from  the  dead,  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  quicken  also  your 
mortal  bodies,  because  of  his  spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you." 
Now,  we  shall  find  that  this  same  spirit  strove  with 
man  before  the  flood.  We  read,  Gen.  vi.  3 — "  And  the 
Lord  said,  My  spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man, 
(to  lead  him  from  wickedness  to  holiness,)  for  that  he 
also  is  flesh ;  yet  his  days  shall  be  one  hundred  and 
twenty  years,  (that  is,  until  the  flood  overspread  the 
earth,)  to  give  him  time  for  repentance."  They  were 
said  to  be  "  in  prison,"  which  is  a  usual  expression, 
descriptive  of  a  person  being  in  bondage  to  sin.  "  The 
spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,"  saith  the  Saviour,  Luke, 
iv.  18,  quoting  from  Isaiah,  lxi.  1 — "  Wherefore,  he 
hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor.  He 
hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  contrite  of  heart ;  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  sight  to  the  blind ;  to 
set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bound."  We  read,  Isaiah, 
xlii.  7,  that  one  of  Christ's  offices  "  is  to  open  the  blind 
eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prisoners  from  the  prison,  and 
them  that  sit  in  darkness  out  of  the  prison  house." 

According  to  the  doctrine  of  your  church,  these  people 
were  in  purgatory,  where  our  blessed  Lord  preached  to 
them  ;  and  yet  you  say  that  purgatory  is  for  venial  sins. 
But  these  persons  were  guilty  of  mortal  sin,  for  we 
read — "  And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was 
great  in  the  earth  ;"  Gen.  vi.  5,  12.  Surely,  then,  ac- 
cording to  your  doctrines,  they  could  not  have  been  in 
purgatory.  But  the  same  apostle,  whom  you  misunder- 
stand in  this  passage,  clears  up  the  difficulty  in  his  second 
epistle.  He  tells  you,  ii.  1,  that  there  shall  be  lying 
teachers,  who  .shall  bring  in  sects  of  perdition,  and  that 
heresies  will  be  introduced  into  the  church,  on  account 
of  their  not  attending  to  that  "  firm  prophetical  word," 
namely,  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  St.  Peter  had  recom- 
mended to  them  in  the  preceding  chapter,  v.  19 — also,  iii. 


72  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

2.  He  proceeds  then,  v.  4,  to  show  the  certainty  of  God's 
judgments  upon  such — "  For  if  God  spared  not  the  an- 
gels that  sinned,  but  delivered  them  to  infernal  ropes, 
drawn  down  to  the  lower  hell,  unto  torments,  to  be  reserv- 
ed unto  judgment,  and  spared  not  the  original  world,  but 
preserved  Noe,  the  eighth  person,  bringing  in  the  flood  up- 
on the  world  of  the  ungodly ;  and  reducing  the  cities  of  the 
Sodomites  and  of  the  Gomorrhites  into  ashes,  condemned 
them  to  be  overthrown,  making  them  an  example  to  those 
that  should  after  act  wickedly."  He,  then,  in  verse  9, 
says — "  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out 
of  temptation,  but  to  reserve  the  unjust  unto  the  day  of 
judgment  to  be  tormented"  Can  any  thing  be  clearer 
than  that  those  unhappy  persons  were  not  in  purgatory 
— that  place  invented  by  the  Roman  Church,  where  their 
sins  could  be  atoned  for  by  their  sufferings — but  in  a  place 
where  their  condemnation  was  without  remedy,  to  which 
the  benefits  of  the  atonement  of  Jesus  were  not  to  reach, 
being  made  an  example,  as  St.  Jude  tells  us,  v.  7,  suf- 
fering the  punishment  of  eternal  fire.  Can  any  thing  be 
more  clear,  than  that  your  church,  in  order  to  prop  up 
her  false  system,  has  perverted  the  meaning  of  the  en- 
tire passage  1 

You  quote,  also,  in  support  of  your  system,  from  the 
2d  Mac.  xii.  45,  to  justify  praying  for  the  dead.  With- 
out taking  advantage  of  this  book  not  being  admitted 
into  the  canon  of  Scripture  by  the  Jews,  and  that,  con- 
sequently, it  can  never  be  counted  amongst  those  "  oracles 
of  God,"  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  were  intrusted  to 
the  Jews,  as  St.  Paul  tells  us,  Romans,  iii.  2  ;  without 
either  proving  from  another  passage  how  the  author  must 
be  a  most  dangerous  guide,  where  he  praises  the  act  of 
suicide,  xiv.  42 ;  or  self-destruction,  and  thus  making  it 
appear  that  he  is  just  as  likely  to  mislead  as  a  teacher 
in  one  respect  as  in  another  ;  he  says,  describing  the 
particulars  of  the  death  of  Razes,  V.  46,  "When,  as  his 
blood  was  now  quite  gone,  he  plucked  out  his  bowels, 
and  taking  them  in  both  his  hands,  he  cast  them  upon 
the  throng,  and,  calling  upon  the  Lord  of  life  and  spirit 
to  restore  him  those  again,  he  thus  died." 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        73 

But  your  church,  in  the  exercise  of  her  claimed  infal- 
libility, has  invested  this  book  with  an  importance  the 
author  of  it  never  contemplated.  He  tells  his  readers, 
ii.  23  ;  that  it  is  only  an  abridgment  of  the  five  books 
written  by  Jason.  He  tells  you,  v.  26 — "Therefore,  to 
us  that  have  taken  upon  us  this  painful  labor  of  abridg- 
ing, it  was  not  easy,  but  a  matter  of  sweat  and  watch- 
ing." In  his  preface,  which  continues  to  the  end  of  the 
second  chapter,  we  find  not  a  word  said  respecting  divine 
assistance  or  spiritual  illumination  ;  he  speaks  as  if  he 
were  writing  an  ordinary  volume.  In  the  early  list  of 
canonical  works,  we  do  not  find  this  book  mentioned 
with  the  others,  by  the  ancient  council  of  Laodicea,  held 
in  the  fourth  century,  nor  by  the  early  writers  of  the 
church.  We  reject  the  book,  therefore,  as  possessing 
no  authority  whatever.  But,  besides,  even  upon  your 
own  principles,  this  passage  should  possess  no  weight. 
Those  persons  for  whom  Judas  Maccabeus,  as  is  stated, 
prayed,  were  idolaters,  and  died  in  mortal  sin,  and  there- 
fore should  not  have  been  prayed  for.  Their  idols,  as 
we  are  informed,  xii.  40,  were  found  under  their  coats, 
which  the  law,  Deuteronomy,  vii.  25,  26,  expressly  for- 
bids ;  and  thus,  with  the  most  unaccountable  inconsis- 
tency, you  are  taught  to  disobey  the  precepts  of  that 
book  which  your  church  declares  to  be  the  Word  of 
God,  and  of  equal  authority  with  any  other  book  of  Holy 
Scripture.  I  leave  your  church  to  get  out  of  this  diffi- 
culty, and  to  justify  her  disobedience  to  what  she  calls 
the  Word  of  God. 

There  is  a  question  upon  this  subject  I  would  propose. 
You  are  in  the  practice  of  saying  the  "  Hail  Mary ;" 
at  the  conclusion  of  the  prayer,  you  say,  "  Holy  Mary, 
Mother  of  God,  pray  for  us  now  and  at  the  hour  of  our 
death."  Why  do  you  not  solicit  her  to  pray  for  you 
after  death,  as  well  as  when  you  are  dying  ?  Surely, 
the  intercession  of  the  Virgin  is  as  powerful  at  one  time 
as  at  the  other.  You  are  taught  in  your  Catechism, 
that  it  was  your  church  added  this  petition  for  her  to 
pray  for  you  at  the  hour  of  death.  Why  did  not  your 
church,  at  the  same  time,  add  a  petition  for  her  inter- 
7 


74  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

cession  after  death  1  The  reason  is  plain:  no  such 
doctrine  existed,  at  the  time  when  this  prayer  was  add- 
ed, as  purgatory.  The  invocation  of  saints  preceded 
purgatory  by  several  centuries — a  doctrine  which  many 
of  your  own  writers  admit  rfes  no  scriptural  support, 
and  has  nothing  to  uphold  it  but  the  bold,  presumptuous 
claim  to  infallibility,  which  we  have  seen  rests  but  upon 
such  a  sandy  foundation. 

There  was  a  species  of  prayer  for  the  dead,  which, 
we  find,  prevailed  very  early.  We  are  taught  in  the 
word  of  God,  that  there  are,  if  we  may  so  express  our- 
selves, two  resurrections — the  first,  of  the  soul  only, 
when  it  awakes  to  a  state  of  consciousness  after  its 
separation  from  the  body,  and  when  it  goes  to  that  place 
alluded  to  by  our  Lord,  where  he  says  to  the  thief  upon 
the  cross,  Luke,  xxiii.  43,  "  this  day  thou  shalt  be  with 
me  in  paradise."  And  the  second  resurrection,  or  more 
properly,  perhaps,  the  resurrection,  is  that  of  the  body, 
and  its  reunion  with  the  soul ;  to  which  St.  Paul  al- 
ludes, when  he  says,  1  Cor.  xv.  52,  "  In  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump,  for  the  trum- 
pet shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  rise  again  incorrupt- 
ible, and  we  shall  be  changed."  He  says,  also,  in  verse 
42,  speaking  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  "  it  is  sown 
in  corruption,  and  it  is  raised  in  incorruption."  See 
also  Phil.  iii.  21.  Thus  we  see  there  are  two  periods 
spoken  of  in  the  liturgy  of  the  church  of  England  and 
Ireland — this  latter  period  is  alluded  to  in  the  Litany ; 
we  call  upon  God  to  deliver  us  at  the  hour  of  death, 
and  at  the  day  of  judgment — and  again,  when  we  pray 
in  our  burial  service  for  "perfect  consummation  and 
bliss  both  in  body  and  soul,  in  God's  eternal  and  ever- 
asting  glory."  It  was  the  not  keeping  these  two 
periods  distinct,  which  led  to  the  error  of  praying 
for  the  dead,  or  supposing  that  any  thing  we  can  do 
for  them  after  they  have  departed,  will  better  their 
condition. 

It  would  be  impossible,  within  a  small  compass,  to 
bring  forward  all  the  passages  from  Scripture  which 
tell  us  that  as  we  are  at  the  hour  of  our  death,  so  shall 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        75 

we  be  to  all  eternity,  so  far  as  our  pardon  and  forgive- 
ness are  concerned. 

There  is  only  one  more  passage  I  will  quote,  because 
St.  John  was  specially  commanded  to  commit  it  to  wri- 
tings Rev.  xiv.  13  ;  "I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  say- 
ing to  me,  Write,  '  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the 
Lord,  from  henceforth  ;  now  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they 
may  rest  from  their  labor.'  "  Is  there  any  intimation 
here  of  purgatory,  or  a  place  of  punishment  ]  Nothing 
of  the  kind  ;  those  who  die  in  the  Lord,  in  the  faith  of 
Jesus,  have  their  sins  forgiven — they  rest  from  their 
labors — their  troubles  and  sorrows  are  at  an  end. 

Now,  we  ask,  as  purgatory  is  to  be  at  an  end,  when 
the  day  of  judgment  arrives,  and  as  we  know  upon  the 
authority  of  God's  word,  1  Thes.  iv.  17;  which  we  also 
declare  in  the  Creed,*  that  some  will  be  alive  upon 
earth  when  that  tremendous  day  arrives,  how  can  they 
be  purified  of  venial  sins,  without  purgatory1? — and  if  they 
can,  as  there  is  no  purgatory  at  that  time,  where  is  the 
necessity  of  your  church  inventing  such  a  place?  Not- 
withstanding these  contradictions,  your  church  teaches 
that  there  is  a  purgatory,  and  that  those  who  are  there, 
are  assisted  and  helped  by  the  prayers  and  good  works  of 
the  faithful  upon  earth,  and  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 
We  have  shown  you  that  such  a  doctrine  has  no  war- 
rant from  the  word  of  God  ;  and  that  those  passages 
which  you  bring  forward  have  no  reference  whatever 
to  such  a  place. 

Your  church  tells  you  that  there  is  a  middle  state 
between  heaven  and  "hell,  and  that  those  who  are  too 
good  for  hell,  and  not  sufficiently  righteous  for  heaven, 
are  sent  into  this  middle  place,  in  order  to  be  qualified 
for  eternal  happiness.  From  the  preceding  pages  you 
may  learn  how  such  a  doctrine  opposes  the  Gospel  plan 
of  man's  salvation,  which  is  the  free  and  unmerited  gift 
of  God.  The  passages  from  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
which  I  have  brought  before  you,  prove,  most  clearly, 
that  it  is  the  blood   of  Jesus  alone  which  cleanses  from 

*  He  sitteth  at  the  ripht  hand  of  God,  from  thence  he  shall  come  to 
judge  the  quick,  those  then  alive,  and  the  dead. 


76  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

sin.  And  in  all  the  parables  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  and 
in  all  his  teachings,  as  recorded  by  his  inspired  apostles, 
nnd  in  all  the  instructions  given  us  by  those  apostles 
themselves,  we  find  only  two  places  spoken  of — heaven 
and  hell.  Into  the  one  the  wicked  will  be  cast — to  the 
other  the  faithful  servants  of  the  Lord  Jesus  will  be 
exalted.  The  parable  of  the  tares,  or  cockle,  Mat.  xiii. 
24  ;  the  net,  Mat.  xiii.  48  ;  the  unmerciful  servant,  Mat. 
xviii.  23 ;  the  careless  servant,  Mat.  xxiv.  45 ;  the 
sheep  and  the  goats,  Mat.  xxv.  31 ;  the  ten  virgins, 
xxv.  1  ;  and  many  others — all  show  that  there  are  but 
two  places — heaven  and  hell.  Look  to  those  passages, 
and  judge  for  yourselves. 

Surely  our  Blessed  Lord  and  his  inspired  apostles 
must  have  been  very  insufficient  teachers,  to  have  left 
such  an  important  doctrine  untaught  and  unmentioned 
in  that  sacred  volume  which  is  able  to  "  make  the  man 
of  God  perfect"  — as  St.  Paul  tells  us,  "furnished  to 
every  good  work,"  2  Tim.  iii.  17.  Because  there  is  a 
middle  space  of  time  between  the  present  and  the  day 
of  judgment,  your  church  wilfully  confuses  that  with  a 
middle  place.  Mark  the  distinction — there  is  a  middle 
space  of  time,  but  not  a  middle  or  third  place.  There 
are  only  a  place  of  happiness  and  a  place  of  misery  now, 
but  that  happiness  and  that  misery  will  be  increased 
after  the  day  of  judgment.  The  councils  of  Florence 
and  of  Trent — the  former  held  more  than  1400  years — 
the  latter  more  than  1500  after  the  birth  of  our  Blessed 
Lord,  made  the  only  authoritative  decrees  upon  this  sub- 
ject, and  of  the  means  by  which  the  suffering  souls  may 
be  assisted.  Prayers  for  the  dead,  as  we  have  before 
stated,  long  preceded  the  doctrine  of  purgatory.  Thus, 
in  what  is  called  "  the  apostolical  constitutions,"  prayers 
are  offered  up  even  for  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  ;  and 
your  church  will  not  admit,  I  am  sure,  that  she  was  in 
purgatory. 

There  is  a  false  church  spoken  of  in  the  book  of 
Revelation,  and  the  destruction  of  that  church  is  clear- 
ly foretold  ;  and  one  of  the  marks  of  that  church  is  her 
making  merchandise  of  the  souls  of  men,  Rev.  xviii.  13. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        77 

Can  there  be  any  other  church  to  which  it  applies  but 
the  church  of  Rome  ;  who,  by  her  doctrine  of  purga- 
tory, and  by  persuading  you  that  there  is  such  a  place, 
and  that  she  has  power  to  deliver  from  that  place  by 
prayers  and  by  Masses,  for  which  you  are  compelled  to 
pay,  carries  on  a  most  profitable  traffic,  and  thus  makes 
merchandise  of  the  souls  of  her  people  1  To  enter  into 
the  various  prophecies  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which 
describe  your  church  and  its  errors,  and  clearly  foretel 
her  downfall,  would  lead  me  from  my  present  purpose. 

R. — Postea  accipit  calicem  et  offert,  dicens. 

T. — He  next  takes  the  chalice,  and  offers  it,  saying — 

R. — Offerimus  tibi,  Domine,  calicem  salutaris,  tuam 
deprecantes  clementiam  ;  ut  in  conspectu  divinae  majes- 
tatis  tuee  pro  nostra  et  totius  mundi  salute  cum  odore 
suavitatis  ascendat.     Amen. 

T. — We  offer  to  thee,  O  Lord,  the  chalice  of  salva- 
tion, beseeching  your  compassion,  that  it  may  ascend 
as  a  sweet  odor  in  the  sight  of  thy  divine  Majesty,  for 
our  salvation,  and  that  of  the  whole  world.     Amen. 

Here  again  we  inquire,  upon  what  authority  does 
your  church  present  to  God  plain  wine  and  plain  wa- 
ter, mingled  together,  as  an  atonement  for  sin,  and  for 
man's  salvation  1 — for,  upon  your  own  principles,  this 
must  be  the  case,  the  prayer  of  consecration  not  being 
yet  said. 

R. — Deinde  facit  signum  crucis  cum  calice  et  illam 
ponit  super  corporale  et  palla  cooperit  turn  junctis  mani- 
bus  super  altare  aliquantulum  inclinatus  dicit. 

T. — Then  he  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  the 
chalice,  and  places  it  upon  the  corporale,  and  covers  it 
with  a  napkin  ;  then  joining  his  hands  upon  the  altar, 
and  bending  himself  a  little  towards  it,  he  says — 

R. — In  spiritu  humilitatis,  et  in  animo  contrito,  sus- 
cepiamur  a  te  Domine  ;  et  sic  fiat  sacrificium  nostrum 
in  conspectu  tuo  hodie,  ut  placeat  tibi,  Domine  Deus. 

T. — May  we  be  received  with  a  spirit  of  humility, 
and  with  a  contrite  heart,  by  thee,  O  Lord  God  ;  and 
7* 


78  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

may  our  sacrifice  be  made  this  day  in    thy   sight,  O 
Lord  God,  so  as  to  be  acceptable  to  thee. 

R. — Erectus  expandit  manus  easque  in  altum  porrec- 
tas  jungens,  elevatur  ad  coelum  oculis,  et  statim  demissis 
dicit. 

T. — Raising  himself  up,  he  stretches  out  his  hands 
on  high,  and  then  joins  them  together,  raising  his  eyes 
to  heaven,  and  immediately  looking  down,  he  says — 

Where  in  the  Word  of  God  do  we  find  these  rules 
for  the  management  of  our  hands  and  eyes  in  prayer  1 
How  applicable  to  such  practices  is  the  passage  from 
God's  word  : — "  This  people  honoreth  me  with  their  lips, 
but  their  heart  is  far  from  me  ;  and  in  vain  do  they  wor- 
ship me,  teaching  doctrines  and  commandments  of  men," 
Mat.  xv.  8,  9. 

R. — Veni,  sanctificator,  omnipotens  aeterne  Deus, 
(benedicitoblata  prosequendo,)  et  benedic  hoc  sacrificium 
tuo  nomini  sancto  prseparatum. 

T. — Come,  O  Eternal,  Almighty  God,  the  sanctifier. 
(he  here  blesses  the  oblations  in  succession,)  and  bless 
(here  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross)  this  sacrifice  pre- 
pared for  your  holy  name. 

R. — Postea  si  solenmiter  celebrat  benedicit  incensum 
dicens. 

T. — Afterwards,  if  he  celebrates  a  solemn  high  Mass. 
he  blesses  the  incense,  saying — 

R. — Per  intercessionem  beati  Michaelis  archangeli 
stantis  a  dextris  altaris  incensi  et  omnium  electorum 
suorum,  incensum  istud  dignetur,  Dominus  bene  »J« 
dicere,  et  in  ordorem  suavitatis  accipere.  Per  Christum 
Dominum  nostrum.     Amen. 

T. — Through  the  intercession  of  the  blessed  Michael 
the  archangel,  standing  at  the  right  side  of  the  altar  of 
incense,  and  of  all  his  elect,  may  the  Lord  vouchsafe  to 
bless  (he  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross)  this  incense,  and 
to  receive  it  as  a  sweet-smelling  savor,  through  Christ 
our  Lord.     Amen. 

We  were  told  before  that  the  incense  was  blessed. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        79 

we  may  have  supposed  once  was  sufficient,  but  here 
you  pray  may  the  Lord  again  bless  it.  Where  did  you 
learn  that  Michael  the  archangel  had  any  influence  with 
God  to  procure  this  second  blessing  1  and  then  the 
prayer  concludes,  as  if  you  were  conscious  of  the  use- 
lessness,  to  say  no  worse  of  it,  of  any  such  intercession, 
by  saying,  "  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  as  if  you 
knew  it  was  through  Jesus  only,  any  supplication  will 
be  attended  to.  Oh  !  why  are  you  guilty  of  such  un- 
scriptural  practices  1 

R. — Et  accepto  thuribulo  a  diacono  incensat  oblata, 
modo  in  rubricis  generalibus  prescripto  dicens. 

T. — And  having  received  the  incense  vessel  from  the 
deacon,  he  incenses  the  oblation  in  the  manner  pre- 
scribed in  the  general  rubrics,  saying — 

R. — Incensum  istud  a  te  benedictum,  ascendat  ad  te 
Domine,  et  descendat  super  nos  misericordia  tua. 

T. — May  that  incense,  blessed  by  you,  ascend  to  thee, 
O  Lord,  and  may  your  compassion  descend  upon  us. 

R. — Deinde  incensat  altare  dicens. 

T. — Then  he  incenses  the  altar,  saying — 

Psalm  cxl. — Dirigatur  Domine,  oratio  mea,  sicut  in- 
censum in  conspectu  tuo,  elevatio  manuum  mearum 
sacrificium  vespertinum.  Pone  Domine  custodium  ori 
meo,  et  ostium  circumstantiae  labiis  meis,  ut  non  declinet 
cor  meum  in  verba  malitiae  ad  excusandas  excusationes 
in  peccatis. 

T. — May  my  prayer,  0  Lord,  be  directed  as  incense 
in  thy  sight,  and  may  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands  be  as 
the  evening  sacrifice.  Place,  O  Lord,  a  watch  upon  my 
mouth,  and  a  door  of  watchfulness  upon  my  lips,  so  that 
my  heart  may  not  incline  to  words  of  malice,  and  to 
making  excuses  for  my  faults. 

R. — Dum  reddit  thuribulum  Diacono  dicit. 

T. — While  he  gives  back  the  incense  vessel  to  the 
deacon,  he  says — 

R. — Accendat  in  nobis  Dominus  ignem  sui  amoris  et 
flammam  aeternae  charitatis.     Amen. 


80  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

T. — May  the  Lord  kindle  in  us  the  fire  of  his  love 
and  the  flame  of  eternal  charity.     Amen. 

R. — Postea  incensatur  sacerdos  Diacono  ;  deinde  alii 
per  ordinem.     Interim  sacerdos  lavat  manus  dicens. 

T. — After  this,  the  priest  is  incensed  by  the  deacon  ; 
then  the  others,  according  to  their  rank.  In  the  mean 
while,  the  priest  washes  his  hands,  saying — 

PSALMUS    XXV. 

Lavabo  inter  innocentes  manus  meas  ;  et  circumdabo 
altare  tuum,  Domine. 

Ut  audiam  vocem  laudis  ;  et  enarrem  universa  mira- 
bilia  tua. 

Domine,  dilexi  decorem  domus  tuae,  et  locum  habita- 
tionis  gloriae  tuae. 

Ne  perdas  cum  impiis,  Deus,  animam  meam,  et  cum 
viris  sanguinum  vitam  meam. 

In  quorum  manibus  iniquitates  sunt,  dextera  eorum 
repleta  est  muneribus. 

Ego  autem  in  innocentia  mea  ingressus  sum,  redime 
me  et  miserere  mei. 

Pes  meus  stetit  in  directo  ;  in  ecclesiis  benedicam  te, 
Domine. 

Gloria  Patri,  et  Filio,  et  Spiritui  Sancto.  Sicut  erat 
in  principio,  et  nunc,  et  semper,  et  in  saecula  seeculorum. 
Amen. 

PSALM    XXV. TRANSLATION. 

I  will  wash  my  hands  among  the  innocent,  and  I  will 
repair  to  thine  altar  ; 

That  I  may  hear  the  voice  of  praise,  and  tell  forth  all 
thy  wonderful  things. 

Lord,  I  have  loved  the  beauty  of  thine  house,  and  the 
place  of  the  habitation  of  thy  glory. 

Do  not  destroy  my  soul,  O  God,  with  the  wicked,  and 
my  life  with  men  of  blood  ; 

In  whose  hands  are  wickedness  ;  their  right  hand  is 
full  of  gifts. 

But  I  have  entered  in  mine  innocency  ;  redeem  me 
and  have  compassion  upon  me. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        81 

My  foot  hath  stood  in  the  right  path  ;  I  will  bless  thee, 
0  Lord,  in  thy  temples. 

Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the 
Holy  Ghost :  as  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever 
shall  be,  world  without  end.     Amen. 

R. — In  missis  pro  defunctis  et  tempore  passionis  in 
missis  de  tempore  omittitur  "  Gloria  Patri."  Deinde 
aliquantulum  inclinatus  in  medio  altaris  junctis  manibus 
super  eo  dicit. 

T. — In  Masses  for  the  dead,  and  during  the  time  of 
Easter  or  the  Passion,  and  in  Masses  at  particular 
times,  "  the  Gloria  Patri"  is  omitted  ;  then  the  priest 
bending  himself  a  little  in  the  middle  of  the  altar,  having 
joined  his  hands  over  it,  says — 

R. — Suscipe,  sancta  Trinitas,  hanc  oblationem,  quam 
tibi  offerimus  ob  memoriam  passionis  resurrectionis  et 
ascensionis  Jesu  Christi,  Domini  nostri,  et  in  honorem 
beatae  Mariae  semper  Virginis,  et  beati  Johannis  Bap- 
tists et  sanctorum  apostolorum  Petri  et  Pauli,  et  isto- 
rum  et  omnium  sanctorum ;  ut  illis  proficiat  ad  hono- 
rem, nobis  autem  ad  salutem,  et  illi  pro  nobis  interce- 
dere  dignentur  in  ccelis,  quorum  memoriam  agimus*  in 
terris.  Per  eundem  Christum  Dominum  nostrum. 
Amen. 

T. — Receive,  O  blessed  Trinity,  this  oblation  which 
we  offer  to  thee,  in  memory  of  the  passion,  resurrection, 
and  ascension  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  and  in  honor 
of  the  Blessed  Mary  ever  a  Virgin,  and  of  the  blessed 
John  the  Baptist,  and  of  the  blessed  apostles,  Peter  and 
Paul,  and  of  these  and  all  the  saints,  that  it  may  ad- 
vance their  honor  and  our  salvation,  and  that  they  may 
vouchsafe  to  intercede  for  us  in  heaven,  whose  memory 

*  Here  we  see  traces  of  the  primitive  practice  respecting  the  saints 
and  martyrs  ;  the  ancient  church  had  annual  commemorations  of  them, 
that  the  survivors  may  be  excited,  through  divine  grace,  to  follow  their 
examples  of  holy  living.  No  person  thought  of  praying  to  them  in 
those  days,  or  soliciting  their  intercession.  The  primitive  Christians 
depended,  as  they  were  taught  by  the  apostles  in  their  inspired  wri- 
tings, upon  only  one  Mediator,  who  is  now  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
to  make  intercession  for  his  people. 


82  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

we  preserve  on  earth,  through  the  same  Christ  our 
Lord.     Amen. 

We  have  some  remarks  to  make  upon  this  prayer, 
the  meaning  of  which  we  do  not  understand.  How  the 
oblation  of  the  bread  and  the  wine,  mixed  with  water, 
can  be  offered  to  the  blessed  Trinity,  in  memory  of  the 
passion,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  we  can  comprehend — but  how  this  oblation  can 
be  made  in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  or  of  any 
apostle  or  saint,  we  really  cannot  understand — and  how 
such  an  offering  can  redound  to  our  salvation — how 
bread  and  wine  offered  up  to  God  can  advance  our  sal- 
vation, or  honor  the  saints,  we  know  not.  Where  is 
such  an  extraordinary  doctrine  or  practice  taught  in 
Scripture  1  Nothing  of  the  kind  was  known  in  the  an- 
cient church.  The  church  to  which  you  belong  is 
bound  to  give  you  full  information  upon  this  subject, 
and  to  explain  their  reason  for  introducing  a  prayer 
utterly  irreconcilable  with  Gospel  truth  and  common 
sense. 

R. — Postea  osculatur  altare  et  versus  ad  populum  ex- 
tendens  et  jungens  maims,  voce  paululum  elevata  dicit. 

T. — Then  he  kisses  the  altar,  and  turning  to  the  peo- 
ple, extending  and  joining  his  hands,  he  says,  in  a  voice 
moderately  loud — 

R. — Orate,  fratres,  ut  meum  ac  vestrum  sacrificium 
acceptabile  fiat  apud  Deum  Patrem  omnipotentem. 

T. — Pray,  brethren,  that  mine  and  your  sacrifice  may 
oe  acceptable  with  God,  the  Father  Almighty. 

R. — Minister  seu  circumstantes  respondent,  alioquin 
ipsemet  sacerdos. 

T. — The  clerk  or  those  who  stand  around,  otherwise 
the  priest  himself,  says — 

R. — Suscipiat  Dominus  sacrificium  de  manibus  tuis, 
(vel  meis,)  ad  laudem  et  gloriam  nominis  sui,  ad  utilita- 
tem  quoque  nostram,  totiusque  ecclesiae  suae  sanctae. 

T. — May  the  Lord  receive  this  sacrifice  from  your 
hands,  (or  mine,)  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  his  name, 
and  for  our  benefit,  and  that  of  the  whole  Church. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        83 

R. — Sacerdos  submissa  voce  dieit — Amen. 

T. — The  priest  says  then  with  a  low  voice — Amen. 

R. — Deinde  manibus  extensis  absolute  sine  "  Ore- 
mus,"  subjungit  orationes  secretas.  Quibus  fmitis  cum 
pervenerit  ad  conclusionem  clara  voce  dicit.  Per  om- 
nia saecula  sseculorum  cum  prefatione,  ut  in  sequentibus. 
Prefatio  incipitur  ambabus  manibus  positis  nine  inde 
super  altare.  Quos  aliquantulum  elevat  cum  dicit  "  sur- 
sum  corda,"  jungit  eas  ante  pectus  et  caput  inclinat, 
cum  dicit  •'  gratias  agimus  Domino  Deo  nostro."  De- 
inde disjungit  manus  et  disjunctas  tenet  usque  ad  finem 
prefationis.  Qua  finita,  iterum  jungit  cas  et  inclinatus 
dicit  "  sanctus,"  et  cum  dicit  "  benedictus  qui  venit," 
signum  crucis  sibi  producit  a  fronte  ad  pectus. 

T. — Then  his  hands  widely  extended,  without  say- 
ing— "  Let  us  pray,'*  he  repeats  the  secret  prayers ; 
{these  the  people  cannot  hear,)  which  being  finished, 
when  he  comes  to  the  end  he  says  with  a  load  voice — 
"  for  ever  and  ever"  with  the  preface,  as  is  mentioned 
in  the  "  sequences,1'  which  are  different  on  different 
days — the  preface  is  begun,  both  hands  being  placed 
separately  over  the  altar.  He  raises  them  a  little  when 
he  says,  "  lift  up  your  hearts."  He  then  joins  them 
before  his  breast,  and  bows  his  head,  when  he  says, 
"we  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord,  our  God."  Then  he 
separates  his  hands  and  holds  them  separate  until  the 
end  of  the  preface — which  being  ended,  he  joins  them 
again,  and  bowing  says  "  the  sanctus,"  or  the  prayer 
commencing  with  the  word  "  sanctus,"  or  holy  ;  and 
when  he  says  "  blessed  is  he  that  comes,"  he  makes 
the  sign  of  the  cross  from  his  forehead  to  his  breast. 

The  preface  being  different  at  different  periods  of  the 
year,  we  shall  only  give  one  of  them ;  and  we  would 
here  remark  how  utterly  useless  all  these  forms  which 
the  priest  uses  appear,  and  how  unmeaning  are  the  va- 
rious attitudes  into  which  he  is  taught,  by  rule,  to  put 
himself — when  we  consider  the  object  and  design  of 
prayer. 

R. — Sequens   Prefatio   dicitur   a   nativitate   Domini 


84  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS. 

usque  ad  Epiphaniam  (pra?terquam  in  die  S.  Johannis 
Apostoli)  et  in  purificationo  B.  Marize  et  in  festo  Cor- 
poris Christi  et  per  octavam,  nisi  in  ea  occurrit  festum, 
quod  propriam  prefationem  habet  et  in  transfiguratione 
Domini. 

T. — The  following-  preface  is  said  from  the  nativity 
of  our  Lord  to  the  Epiphany,  (except  upon  the  Octave 
or  eighth  day  of  St.  John  the  Apostle,)  and  also  in  the 
purification  of  the  blessed  Mary,  and  in  the  feast  of 
Corpus  Christi,  or  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  through 
the  Octave  to  the  eighth  day  after ;  unless  a  festival 
occurs,  which  has  its  own  proper  preface ;  and  also  in 
the  transfiguration  of  our  Lord  : — 

Priest. — Per  omnia  saecula  saeculorum. 

T. — For  ever  and  ever. 

Response. — Amen. 

P. — Dominus  vobiscum. 
T. — The  Lord  be  with  you. 

R. — Et  cum  spiritu  tuo. 
T. — And  with  thy  spirit. 

P. — Sursum  corda. 

T. — Lift  up  your  hearts. 

R. — Habemus  ad  Dominum. 

T. — We  lift  them  up  unto  the  Lord. 

P. — Gratias  agamus  Domino  Deo  nostro. 
T. — Let  us  give  thanks  to  our  Lord  God. 

R. — Dignum  et  justum  est. 

T. — It  is  just  and  right  to  do  so 

Vere  dignum  et  justum  est,  aequum  et  salutare,  nos 
tibi  semper  et  ubique  gratias  agere,  Domine  sancte, 
Pater  Omnipotcns,  aeterne  Deus.  Quia  per  incarnati 
verbi  mysterium  nova  mentes  nostra?  oculis  lux  tuae 
claritatis  in  fulsit  ut  dum  visibiliter  Deum  cognoscimus 
per  hunc  invisibilium  amorcm  rapiamur.  Et  ideo  cum 
angelis  et  archangelis  cum  thronis  et  dominntionibus 
cumque  enim  militia  cselestis  exercitus  hymnum  gloriae 
tuse  canimus  sine  fine  dicentes — 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        85 

T. — It  is  truly  proper,  and  right,  and  just,  and  health- 
ful, that  we  should  give  thanks  to  thee  always  and  ev- 
erywhere, O  Lord,  Holy  Father,  Almighty,  Eternal 
God,  because  through  the  mystery  of  the  incarnate 
Word,  a  new  light  of  your  glory  has  shone  upon  the 
eyes  of  our  mind,  so  that  while  we  behold  God  visibly 
we  are  carried  away  by  this  love  of  invisible  things ; 
and,  therefore,  with  the  angels  and  archangels,  with 
thrones  and  dominions,  and  with  all  the  army  of  the 
heavenly  host,  we  sing  forth  the  hymn  of  your  praise, 
saying  :— 

Sanctus,  Sanctus,  Sanctus,  Dominus  Deus  Sabaoth. 

T. — Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  of  Sabaoth,  (or  of 
Hosts.) 

Pleni  sunt  cceli  et  terra,  gloriae  tuae,  Hosanna  in  ex- 
celsis. 

T. — The  heavens  and  earth  are  full  of  thy  glory, 
Hosanna  in  the  highest. 

R. — Benedictus,  qui  venit  in  nomine  Domini,  Hosan- 
na in  excelsis. 

T. — Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  Hosanna  in  the  highest. 

We  now  come  to  what  is  called  the  "  Canon  of  the 
Mass  ;"  the  most  solemn  part  of  the  service. 

R. — Sacerdos  extendens  et  jungens  manus,  elevans 
ad  caelum  oculos,  et  statim  demittens  profunde  inclinatus 
ante  altare,  manibus  super  eo  positis,  dicit. 

T. — The  priest  standing,  and  joining  his  hands,  and 
raising  his  eyes  to  the  heavens,  and  immediately  cast- 
ing them  down,  bending  himself  very  low  before  the 
altar,  and  placing  his  hands  over  it,  says  : — 

Priest. — Te  igitur,  clementissime  Pater,  per  Jesum 
Christum,  Filium  tuum,  Dominum  nostrum,  supplices 
rogamus  ac  petimus,  (osculatur  altare,)  uti,  accepta 
habeas  et  benedicas,  (jungat  manus  deinde  signet  ter 
super  oblata,)  haec  »f«  dona,  haec  »f"  munera,  haec  *J« 
sancta  sacrificia  illibata,  (extensis  manibus  prosequi- 
tur,) in  primis,  quae  tibi  offerimus  pro  ecciesia  tua 
8 


86  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

sancta  Oatholica,  quam  pacificare,  custodire,  adunare, 
et  regere  digneris,  toto  orbe  terrarum,  una  cum  famulo 
tuo  papa  nostro,  N.  ct  antistite  nostro  N.  et  omnibus 
orthodoxis  atque  catholicae  et  apostolicte  fidei  cultori- 
bus. 

T. — We,  as  suppliants,  beseech  thcc,  0  merciful 
Father,  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  thy  Son,  our  Lord,  (he 
here  kisses  the  altar,)  that  thou  mayest  hold  and  bless 
these  •f*  gifts,  (let  him  then  join  his  hands,  and  after 
that  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  three  times  upon  the 
oblation,)  these  »f«  offerings,  these  holy  -J*  sacrifices 
poured  out,  (he  proceeds  then  with  extended  hands,) 
chiefly  which  we  offer  to  thee  for  thy  holy  Catholic 
Church  ;  which  may  you  vouchsafe  to  keep  in  peace, 
to  watch  over,  and  unite  in  one,  and  govern  all  over  the 
world,  together  with  your  servant  N.  our  pope,  (or  fa- 
ther,) and  our  bishop  N.,  and  with  all  the  orthodox 
worshippers  of  the  Catholic  and  Apostolic  faith. 

R. — Commemoratio  pro  vivis. 

T. — Commemoration  for  the  living. 

P. — Memento,  Domine,  famulorum  famularumque 
tuorum  N.  et  N.  Jungit  manus  orat  aliquantulum  pro 
quibus  orare  intendit,  deinde  manibus  extensis  prose- 
quitur. Et  omnium  circumstantiurn,  quorum  tibi  fides 
cognita  est,  et  nota  devotio,  pro  quibus  tibi  offerimus, 
vel  qui  tibi  offerunt  hoc  sacrificium  laudis,  pro  se  suis- 
que  omnibus,  pro  redemptione  animarum  suarum,  pro 
spe  salutis  et  incolumitatis  suae,  tibique  reddunt  vota  sua 
eeterno  Deo,  vivo  et  vero. 

T. — Remember,  O  Lord,  thy  servants,  and  thy  hand- 
maidens, N.  and  N.  He  here  joins  his  hands,  and 
prays  for  a  little  while  for  those  he  intends  to  pray  for ; 
then  extending  his  hands,  he  proceeds.  And  also  all 
those  here  present,  whose  faith  is  approved  of  by  thee, 
and  whose  devotion  is  known,  for  whom  we  make  this 
offering,  or  who  offer  to  thee  this  sacrifice  of  praise  for 
themselves  and  all  their  families,  for  the  redemption  of 
their  souls,  for  the  hope  of  salvation,  and  of  their  safety. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        87 

and  for  which  they  pay  their  vows  to  thee,  the  eternal, 
living,  and  true  God.* 

Next  follows  the  part  of  the  service  called  the  "Infra 
actionem."  The  commencement  of  part  of  this  prayer 
is  different  upon  different  festivals.  The  following  part 
is  used  on  all  occasions  : — 

P. — Communicantes  et  memoriam  veneranles,  impri- 
mis gloriosae  semper  Virginis  Maria?,  Genitricis  Dei  et 
Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi ;  sed  et  beatorum  Apostolo- 
rum  ac  Martyrum  tuorum,  Petri  et  Pauli,  Andreae,  Ja- 
cobi,  Joannis,  Thomae,  Jacobi,  Philippi,  Bartholornaei, 
Mattheei,  Simonis  et  Thadaei,  Lini.  Cleti,  Clementis, 
Xysti,  Cornelii,  Cypriani,  Laurentii,  Chrysogoni,  Joan- 
nis et  Pauli,  Cosmse  et  Damiani,  et  omnium  tuorum 
Sanctorum,  quorum  meritis  precibusque  concedas,  ut  in 
omnibus  protectionis  tuae  muniamur  auxilio.  (Jungit  ma- 
ims,) per  eundem  Christum  Dominum  nostrum.    Amen. 

T. — Communicating  with,  and  venerating  the  memo- 
ry in  the  first  place,  of  the  glorious  Mary,  ever  a  virgin, 
the  mother  of  God,  and  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
also  of  thy  blessed  Apostles  and  Martyrs,  Peter  and 
Paul,  Andrew,  James,  John,  Thomas,  James,  Philip, 
Bartholomew,  Matthew,  Simon  and  Thadeus,  Linus, 
Cletus,  Clement,  Xystus,  Cornelius,  Cyprianus,  Lau- 
rentius,  Chrysogonus,  John  and  Paul,  Cosmas  and  Da- 
mian,  and  of  all  thy  Saints,  by  whose  merits  and  prayers 
mayest  thou  grant  that  in  all  things  we  may  be  fortified 
by  the  help  of  thy  protection,  (he  here  joins  his  hands,) 
through  the  same  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

It  is  unnecessary,  after  all  that  has  been  said  upon 
the  subject  of  praying  to  saints,  and  depending  upon 
their  intercession  or  merits,  to  make  any  comment  upon 
that  part  of  this  most  extraordinary  and  inconsistent 
prayer.  The  first  part  of  the  prayer  is  sanctioned  by 
the  ancient  church,  which  was  in  the  practice  of  com- 
memorating the  deaths  and  martyrdoms  of  the  primitive 

*  The  Eucharist  was  called,  by  the  Primitive  Church,  a  sacrifice  o' 
praise  and  thanksgiving — not  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  as  your  church  nq 
teaches. 


88  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

saints,  as  we  remarked  before.  And  in  the  prayer  for 
the  Church  Militant,  the  Reformed  Established  Church 
has  an  allusion  to  this  early  custom,  where  it  is  said, 
"  And  we  bless  thy  holy  name  for  all  thy  servants  de- 
parted this  life  in  thy  faith  and  fear,  beseeching  thee  to 
give  us  grace  so  to  follow  their  good  example,  that,  with 
them,  we  may  be  partakers  of  thy  heavenly  kingdom.1' 
But  your  Church  is  not  content  with  this,  but  calls  upon 
God  to  protect  us  by  "  their  merits  and  prayers."  Your 
church  not  only  here  asks  for  their  intercession,  but 
beseeches  Almighty  God  by  their  merits.  What  au- 
thority have  you  for  doing  this  1  And  then,  with  the 
most  unaccountable  inconsistency,  you  conclude  with 
saying,  ''through  the  same  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 
We  inquire  again,  are  not  the  merits  of  Jesus  sufficient  ? 
is  not  the  intercession  of  Jesus  sufficient  ?  But  you 
must  needs  add  to  them  the  merits  of  the  apostles,  which 
we  know  they  must  disclaim,  as  our  blessed  Lord  taught 
them  to  do,  Luke  xvii.  10 ;  and  also  the  merits  of  a 
number  of  individuals,  of  whom  you  know  nothing  but 
the  names,  and  some  of  whom,  for  aught  you  can  tell  to 
the  contrary,  may  have  had  but  small  pretensions  to  the 
character  of  saints,  however  called  so,  or  canonized  by 
the  Pope  or  Bishop  of  Rome  ;  and,  only  it  would  lead 
us  from  our  present  subject,  we  would  bring  forward 
proofs  of  this  fact. 

Why  do  you  call  the  Virgin,  "  the  mother  of  God?" 
Where,  in  the  sacred  page  of  Scripture,  is  she  given 
such  a  title  ?  She  was  the  mother  of  our  Lord — but 
only  in  his  human  capacity.  There  is  but  one  God, 
and  three  Persons  constitute  the  Godhead.  Surely  she 
was  not  the  mother  of  the  Father,  or  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  left  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
and  took  upon  him  the  nature  of  man,  and  it  is  only  in 
this  respect — as  man — that  the  blessed  Virgin  is  his 
mother;  but  such  is  the  anti-scriptural  anxiety  of  the 
Roman  Church  to  justify  the  invocation  of  saints,  and 
particularly  of  the  Virgin,  that  she  has  invented  this  title 
tj!  Mother  of  God,  for  the  Virgin  ;  to  justify  her  idola- 
'  as  possessing  a   divine   nature,   or  doctrine,  which 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        89 

has  no  foundation  whatever  in  the  writings  of  the  in- 
spired apostles,  and  was  never  given  to  her  by  the  prim- 
itive church. 

R. — Tenens  manus  expansas  super  oblata,  dicit. 

T. — Holding  his  hands  extended  over  the  oblations, 
he  says — 

R. — Hanc  igitur  oblationem  servitutis  nostras  sed  et 
cunctae  familiae  tuae  quaesumus  Domini,  ut  placatus  ac- 
cipias  ;  diesque  nostros  in  tua  pace  disponas,  atque  ab 
aeterna  damnatione  nos  eripi,  et  electorum  tuorum  jubeas 
grege  numerari,  ( jungit  manus,)  per  Christum  Dominum 
nostrum.     Amen. 

T. — We  beseech  thee,  therefore,  0  Lord,  that  thou 
mayest  favorably  receive  this  offering  of  our  service 
and  of  all  thy  family,  and  that  thou  mayest  dispose  our 
days  in  thy  peace,  and  that  thou  mayest  command  us  to 
be  delivered  from  eternal  condemnation,  and  numbered 
in  the  flock  of  thine  elect,  (he  joins  his  hands,)  through 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Does  it  not  appear  most  extraordinary  to  have  some 
of  your  prayers  perfectly  scriptural,  as  if  the  interces- 
sion of  Jesus  were  sufficient,  and  to  have  others  contra- 
dicting this  supposition  ?  Is  it  not  an  open  insult  to 
Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of 
the  world,  to  be  spoken  of  in  one  prayer  as  if  he  were 
the  only  mediator,  the  only  intercessor  with  his  father, 
through  whom  your  supplications  will  be  granted,  and 
immediately  after,  as  if  you  disbelieved  that  his  media- 
tion were  sufficient,  to  call  for  the  additional  mediation 
of  those  saints  who  were  created  and  saved  by  him 
alone  ?  May  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  open  your  eyes, 
my  Roman  Catholic  brethren,  and  cause  you  to  see  the 
errors  of  your  faith.  It  is  thus  implied  that  other  in- 
tercessors are  necessary,  and  that  without  those  addi- 
tional mediators  your  petitions  will  not  be  granted  ; 
consequently  those  prayers  in  which  no  mention  is  made 
of  the  saints'  interference  as  joint  intercessors,  are  in- 
complete :  away  with  such  wickedness. 

P. — Quam  oblationem  tu,  Deus  !  in  omnibus  quaesu- 
8* 


90  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

mus  (signat  ter  super  oblata)  bene^dictam,  ad  »£■  scrip- 
tam,  ra-f-tam  rationabilem  acceptabilemque  faccre  dig- 
neris,  (signat  semel  super  hostiam  ac  semel  super  cali- 
cem,)  lit  nobis  Cor«{"Pus  et  San«f«guis  fiat  dilectissimi 
Filii  tu  Domini  nostri  Jesus  Christi. 

T. — Which  oblation  do  thou,  O  God,  we  beseech  thee 
vouchsafe  (the  priest  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  three- 
times  over  the  oblations)  to  bless  Hh  to  approve  •{-,  rati- 
fy +£>,  and  accept,  (he  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  once 
over  the  host  and  once  over  the  chalice,)  that  it  may 
become  to  us  the  body  »J«  and  the  blood  *f"  of  thy  most 
beloved  son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

P. — Qui  pridie  quam  pateretur  (accipit  hostiam)  ac- 
cepit  panem  in  sanctas  ac  venerabiles  manus  suas,  (ele- 
vat  oculos  ad  ccelwn,)  et  elevatis  oculis  in  ccelum,  ad  te 
Deum  Patrem  suum  omnipotentem,  tibi  gratias  agens, 
(signat  super  hostiam,)  bene  -J-  dixit,  fregit  deditque 
discipulis  suis,  dicens.  Accipite  et  manducate  ex  hoc 
omnes. 

T. — Who,  the  evening  before  he  suffered,  (he  here 
takes  up  the  host,)  took  bread  into  his  holy  and  venera- 
ble hands,  (he  here  raises  his  eyes  to  heaven,)  and  lift- 
ing up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  to  thee  his  almighty  Father, 
giving  thee  thanks,  (he  here  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross 
over  the  host,)  he  blessed  »J-,  brake,  and  gave  to  his  dis- 
ciples, saying — Take  and  eat  this,  all  of  you. 

We  shall  have  some  remarks  to  make  hereafter  about 
the  word  "  all"  being  introduced  here,  which  is  not  to 
be  found  in  your  own  Testament. 

R. — Tenens  ambabus  manibus  hostiam  inter  indices 
et  pallices  profert  verba  consecrationis,  secreto,  dis- 
tincte,  et  attento. 

T. — Holding  the  host  with  both  his  hands  between 
his  forefingers  and  thumbs,  he  says  the  words  of  conse- 
cration secretly,  distinctly,  and  attentively,  or  with  in- 
tention— 

HOC  EST  ENIM  CORPUS  MEUM. FoR  THIS  IS  MY  BODY. 

R. — Problatis  verbis  consecrationis,  statim  hostiam 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        91 

consecratam  genuflexus  adorat.  Surgit,  ostendit  popu- 
lo,  reponit  super  corporale,  iterum  adorat.  Et  non  dis- 
jungit  pollices  et  indices  nisi  quando  Hostia  tractanda 
est  usque  ad  ablutionem  digitorum.  Tunc  detecto  calice 
dicit. 

T. — Having  finished  the  words  of  consecration,  im- 
mediately kneeling  down,  he  adores  the  consecrated 
host.  lie  then  rises  up,  shows  it  to  the  people,  and 
places  it  upon  the  corporale  and  again  adores  it.  And 
he  does  not  separate  his  fingers  and  thumbs,  only  when 
the  host  is  to  be  laid  down,  until  the  oblation,  or  wash- 
ing of  his  fingers.  Then,  uncovering  the  chalice,  he 
says — 

R. — Simili  modo  postquam  coenatum  est  (ambabus 
rrwiibus  accipit  calicem)  accipiens  et  hunc  praeclarum 
cafccem  in  sanctas  ac  venerabiles  manus  suas  ;  item  tibi 
gratias  agens  (sinistra  tenens  Calicem  dextera  signat 
super  eum)  bene  4«  dixit  deditque  discipulis  suis,  dicens 
— Accipite  et  bibite  ex  eo  omnes. 

T. — In  like  manner,  when  supper  was  ended,  (the 
priest  takes  the  chalice  with  both  his  hands,)  taking  this 
glorious  chalice  also  into  his  holy  and  venerable  hands, 
likewise  giving  thanks  to  thee,  (holding  the  chalice  in 
his  left  hand,  with  the  right  he  makes  the  sign  of  the 
cross  upon  it,)  he  blessed  «£  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples, 
saying — Take  and  drink  ye  all  of  this. 

R. — Profert  verba  consecrationis  secreto  super  cali- 
cem tenens  ilium  parum  elevatum. 

T. — He  then  says  the  words  of  consecration  secret- 
ly over  the  chalice,  holding  it  raised  up  a  little. 

HlC  EST  ENIM  CALIX  SANGUINIS  MEI  NOVI  ET  iETERNI 
TESTAMENTI  MYSTERIUM  FIDEI,  QVJE  PRO  NOBIS  ET  PRO 
MULTIS  EFFUNDETUR  IN  REMISSIONEM  PECCATORUM. 

T. — For  this  is  the  chalice  of  my  blood  of  the  new 
and  eternal  testament,  the  mystery  of  the  faith,  which 
shall  be  shed  for  you  and  for  many,  for  the  remission  of 
sins. 

R. — Prolatis  verbis  consecrationis  deponit  calicem 


92  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

super  corporale  et  dicens  secreto,  "  Hoc,  quotiescunque 
faceritis  in  mei  memoriam  facictis.1' 

Genuflexus  adorat,  surgit,  ostendit  populo,  deponit, 
cooperit,  et  iteruni  adorat.  Deinde  disjunctis  manibus 
die  it. 

T. — Having  finished  the  words  of  consecration,  he 
places  the  chalice  upon  the  corporale,  also  saying,  se- 
cretly— "  As  often  as  you  shall  do  these  things,  you 
shall  do  them  in  remembrance  of  me."  Kneeling 
down,  he  adores  it — rises  up,  shows  it  to  the  people  ; 
lays  it  down,  covers  it,  and  again  adores  it ;  then  hav- 
ing separated  his  hands,  he  says — 

Unde  et  memores,  Domine,  nos  servi  tui,  sed  et  plebs 
tua  sancta,  ejusdem  Christi  Filii  tui  Domini  nostri  tarn 
beatge  passionis,  necnon,  et  ab  inferis  resurrectionis,  sed 
et  in  ccelos  gloriosae  ascensionis,  offerimus  praecipe 
Majestati  tua?,  de  tuis  donis  ac  datis,  (jungit  maims  et 
signat  ter  super  hostiam  et  calicem  simul,)  hostiam  »f« 
puram,  hostiam  *%*  sanctam,  hostiam  4*  immaculatam, 
(signat  semel  super  hostiam  et  semel  super  calicem,) 
panem  »J»  sanctum  vita?  aeternae  et  calicem  *f«  salutis 
perpetuse. 

T. — Wherefore,  also,  O  Lord,  we,  thy  servants,  and 
thine  holy  people,  being  mindful  of  the  blessed  passion 
of  the  same  Christ,  our  Lord,  and  also  of  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead,  *f*  and  also  of  his  glorious  ascension 
into  heaven,  offer  to  thy  divine  Majesty,  of  thy  gifts, 
bestowed  upon  us,  (he  joins  his  hands,  and  makes  the 
sign  of  the  cross  three  times  upon  the  host  and  chalice 
at  the  same  time,)  a  pure  »J»  host,  a  holy  •£>  host,  an  un- 
spotted ȣ<  host>  (he  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  once 
over  the  host  and  once  over  the  chalice,)  the  holy  «fi 
bread  of  eternal  life,  and  the  chalice  »fri  of  everlasting 
salvation. 

R. — Extensis  manibus  prosequitur. 

He  continues  with  his  hands  extended. 

Supra  quae,  propitio  ac  sereno  vultu  respicere,  digne- 
ris,  et  accepta  habere,  sicuti  accepta  habere  dignatus  es 
munera  pueri  tui  justi  Abel,  et  sacrificium  patriarchs 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        93 

nostri  Abraham,  et  quod  tibi  summus  sacerdos  tuus 
Melchisedech,  obtulit  sanctum  sacrificium,  immacula- 
tum  hostiam. 

T. — Upon  which  vouchsafe  to  look  with  a  propitious 
and  serene  countenance,  and  to  accept  them,  as  thou 
vouchsafed  to  accept  the  gifts  of  thy  righteous  servant, 
Abel,  and  the  sacrifice  of  our  patriarch,  Abraham,  and 
what  the  high  priest,  Melchisedech,  offered  to  thee,  a 
holy  sacrifice,  an  unspotted  host  or  victim. 

R. — Profunde  inclinatus  junctis  manibus,  et  super  al- 
tare  positis,  dicit. 

T. — Bowing  lowly  with  his  hands  joined,  and  placed 
upon  the  altar,  he  says — 

Supplices  te  rogamus,  omnipotens  Deus,  jube  haec 
perferri  per  manus  sancti  angeli  tui  in  sublime  altare 
ttfum,  in  conspectu  divinae  Majestatis  tuae  ;  ut  quotquot 
(osculatur  altare)  ex  hac  altaris  participatione  sacro- 
sanctum  Filii  tui,  (jungit  manus  et  signat  simul  super 
hostiam  et  simul  super  calicem,)  cor  »f«  pus  et  san  »f«  gui- 
nem  sumpserimus,  (seipsum  signat,)  omni  benedictione 
ccelesti  et  gratia  repleamur.  Per  eundem  Christum 
Dominum  nostrum.     Amen. 

T. — We,  as  suppliants,  beseech  thee,  0  Omnipotent 
God,  to  command  that  these  tilings  (namely  :  the  obla- 
tion of  what  your  church  calls  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ)  may  be  carried  by  the  hands  of  thy  holy  angel 
to  thine  altar  on  high,  in  the  sight  of  thy  divine  Majes- 
ty, that  as  many  of  us  (he  here  kisses  the  altar)  as 
shall  have  taken,  by  the  participation  of  this  altar,  of 
the  most  sacred  body  »fi  and  blood  «£■  of  thy  Son,  (he 
joins  his  hands,  and  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  once 
upon  the  host  and  once  upon  the  chalice,  then  crosses 
himself, )  may  be  filled  with  all  heavenly  blessing  and 
grace,  through  the  same  Christ,  our  Lord.     Amen. 

This  part  of  your  service  is  considered  to  be  the  most 
important  :  and  contains  much  to  be  remarked  upon. 
We  discover  various  grounds  for  serious  charges  against 
your  church,  which  has  thought  fit  to  change  the  en- 
tire design  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  has  substituted 


94  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

instead  thereof  a  number  of  prayers  and  forms  unknown 
in  Scripture,  unheard-of  in  the  ancient  church,  and  ut- 
terly inconsistent  with  each  other.  The  first  remark 
we  shall  here  make,  is  your  not  using  bread  us  our  Lord 
did — you  who  pretend  to  follow  every  thing  so  very 
literally.  He,  as  you  quote  in  your  prayer  of  consecra- 
tion, took  bread  and  broke  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disci- 
ples. Why  do  you,  in  this  respect,  depart  from  an- 
tiquity 1  Again,  he  told  them  to  take  and  eat  it.  The 
Latin  word  which  you  translate  "  eat"  is  "  manducate," 
which  signifies  "  to  chew,"  to  break  with  the  teeth. 
But,  contrary  to  this  express  command,  you  desire  your 
communicants  not  "  to  chew"  but  "  to  swallow ;"  and 
this  they  could  not  do  so  conveniently,  if  they  had  not 
thin  wafers.  Now  we  are  told  that  our  blessed  Lord 
took  bread  and  broke  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples, 
Matt.  xxvi.  26,  Mark  xiv.  22,  Luke  xxii.  19.  Of  course 
we  are  to  suppose  he  held  a  loaf  or  a  large  piece  of 
bread  in  his  hands,  and  so  broke  off  pieces  of  it  and 
gave  them  to  his  disciples.  And,  in  accordance  with 
this  view,  Paul  says,  1  Cor.  x.  17,  "all  partake  of  one 
bread."  The  one  loaf  is  typical  of  the  body  of  Christ 
broken  for  believers,  representing  the  unity  of  his  mys- 
tical body.  Epiphanius  tells  us  that  these  loaves  used 
at  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist  were  round,  and  di- 
vided amongst  the  communicants.  Justin  Martyr  tells 
us,  in  the  passage  we  quoted  before,  that  bread,  or 
loaves,  is  brought  to  the  bishop  for  the  communicants. 
The  change  gradually  crept  into  the  church,  although 
the  16th  Council  of  Toledo,  6  canon,  held  a.  d.  693, 
endeavored  to  provide  against  this  abuse,  and  brought 
forward  the  passages  from  Scripture  quoted  above,  to 
show  that  our  Lord  made  use  of  a  wdiole  loaf.  In  the 
eleventh  century,  the  practice  of  using  wafers  became 
general,  though  greatly  opposed,  as  we  find  by  refer- 
ence to  church  history.  And  in  this  your  church  has 
acted  consistently,  when  she  taught  them  the  new  doc- 
trine of  transubstantiation,  as  we  shall  see.  Again, 
our  blessed  Lord  said,  "  Take  this,"  but  you  do  not  per- 
mit your  people  to  touch  it  with  their  hands  ;  they  open 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        95 

their  mouths,  and  the  priest  places  a  wafer  upon  the 
tongue  of  each.  Here  you  have  three  practices,  all 
unknown  in  the  ancient  church — 1,  contrary  to  what 
our  blessed  Lord  did,  the  use  of  whole  or  entire  wafers, 
instead  of  bread  broken — 2,  the  not  eating  or  chewing 
the  bread  or  wafer — and  3,  the  communicant  not  taking 
it  in  his  hand,  but  only  opening  his  mouth  to  receive  it 
on  his  tongue. 

The  priest  goes  on  to  pray  that  the  oblations,  that  is, 
the  bread  and  wine,  may  become  the  body  and  the  blood 
of  our  Lord.  He  then  takes  the  Host,  and  repeats  the 
words  of  our  Lord,  as  recorded  in  the  Gospels,  in  which 
your  church  has  presumed  to  make  a  change,  for  we 
find  it  stated  nowhere  that  our  Lord  commanded  all  to 
eat  the  bread ;  thus  blasphemously  introducing  an  ex- 
pression into  the  language  of  our  Lord,  nowhere  to  be 
found  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  even  in  your  own  trans- 
lations, for  the  purpose  of  justifying  your  practice  of 
withholding  the  cup  from  the  laity,  and  of  neutralizing 
the  force  of  the  word  "  all"  used  by  our  Lord  when  he 
gave  the  wine. 

Then  the  priest  repeats  what  your  church  now  teach- 
es is  "  the  prayer  of  consecration,"  and  this  secretly  to 
himself:  "hoc  est  enim  corpus  meum" — "for  this  is 
my  body."  Your  church  now  asserts  that  the  bread 
has  become  the  body  of  our  Lord  ;  and  the  consequence 
is,  that  the  priest  immediately  falls  down  and  worships 
what  he  holds  in  his  hands,  and  you  all  foolishly  and  im- 
piously do  the  same.  He  proceeds  then  to  consecrate 
the  wine,  using  the  words  which  are  to  be  found  in  your 
Testament,  secretly,  that  is,  to  himself  only  ;  and  then 
he  falls  down  and  worships  what  your  church  teaches 
you  has  become  the  blood  of  our  Lord. 

And  now  I  inquire,  why  does  the  priest  repeat  these 
words  secretly,  and  to  himself  alone  1  Here  is  another 
departure  from  Scripture,  for  our  Lord  spoke  aloud.  Is 
it  not  sufficient  for  you  to  have  your  services  in  Latin, 
understood  by  scarcely  any  of  your  people,  but  you  also 
endeavor  to  wrap  them  in  even  greater  obscurity,  by 
this  and   other  prayers  being  repeated   by  the  priest 


96  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

alone,  and  that  to  himself,  in  order  to  mystify  the  mat- 
ter, and  to  fill  you  with  greater  awe?  Your  church 
has  taught  you  that,  by  virtue  of  these  words  of  conse- 
cration, the  bread  has  become  the  body,  and  tbe  wine 
the  blood  of  our  Lord.  Even  in  this,  namely,  tbe  form 
and  words  of  consecration,  your  church  differs  from  the 
ancient  church.  St.  Cyril,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  who 
lived  in  the  fourth  century,  says,  as  quoted  by  Dupin,  1 
vol.,  page  222 — that  "  the  bread  and  the  wine  of  the 
Eucharist,  before  the  invocation  of  the  adorable  Trinity, 
is  but  common  bread  and  wine  ;  but  prayer  being  ended, 
the  bread  is  the  body  of  Christ,  and  the  wine  the  blood 
of  Christ."  We  pass  over  how  he  explains  his  mean- 
ing of  this  expression,  which  is  very  different  indeed 
from  your  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  as  it  would  lead 
us  from  our  present  purpose.  Gregory  the  Great, 
Bishop  of  Rome  in  the  sixth  and  part  of  the  seventh 
century,  says  : — "  The  reason  we  say  the  Lord's  Prayer 
immediately  after  the  prayer  of  consecration,  (or  canon,) 
is,  because  the  apostl.es  were  wont  to  consecrate  the  host 
of  the  oblation  by  that  prayer  only."  Where,  then,  we 
inquire,  is  your  authority  for  persuading  the  people  that, 
by  pronouncing  these  secret  words,  this  mighty  change 
takes  place  '?  And  does  it  not  appear  strange  that  your 
own  writers  differ  among  themselves  as  to  what  consti- 
tutes the  consecrating  power? — and  the  more  ancient 
these  writers  are,  the  more  they  differ  from  your  pres- 
ent practices  ! 

Even  admitting,  for  argument  sake,  that  the  bread 
does  become  the  body,  and  the  wine  the  blood  of  our 
Lord — by  what  authority  do  you  say  that  both  body  and 
blood  are  included  under  either  species,  by  what  your 
church  calls  the  doctrine  of  "  concomitance,"  a  phrase 
totally  unknown  in  the  primitive  ages,  and  which  your 
own  forms  in  the  Mass  entirely  refute?  Now  see  in 
what  a  position  you  are  placed  by  your  church,  by  her 
departure  from  scriptural  truth.  In  the  most  unwar- 
rantable manner,  you  shut  up  the  words  of  our  Lord  in 
an  unknown  language,  and  in  that  language  tbe  Re- 
deemer invites  his  faithful  followers  to  partake  of  his 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        97 

supper,  and  your  church  prevents  them  from  hearing  or 
understanding  the  invitation. 

In  the  Primitive  Church,  no  persons  were  permitted 
to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist  unless 
they  partook  of  the  sacred  elements.  The  tenth  canon 
of  those  which  are  known  by  the  title  of  the  apostolic 
canons,  is  express  upon  this  point,  and  says,  "  that  those 
persons  who  assemble  at  the  church  to  attend  at  the 
sacred  ordinances,  should  listen  to  the  writings  of  the 
apostles,  the  sacred  Scriptures,  and  the  Gospel ;  but 
those  who  do  not  remain  in  prayer  until  the  Mass  is  fin- 
ished, or  who  do  not  partake  of  the  Holy  Communion, 
it  is  right  that  they  should  be  deprived  of  communion," 
that  is,  should  be  excommunicated.  In  the  second 
canon  of  the  third  council  held  at  Antioch,  in  the  fourth 
century,  we  have  severe  ecclesiastical  censures  de- 
nounced against  those  who  were  present  at  the  prayers 
and  did  not  partake  of  the  Holy  Communion.  The 
very  words  of  our  blessed  Lord  used  in  the  Mass  con- 
demn your  practice  ;  he  says  : — "  Take,  eat,  and  drink 
ye  all  of  this,"  a  command  which  all  you  that  are  pres- 
ent do  not  comply  with.  What  are  called  solitary 
Masses,  which  your  priests  frequently  celebrate,  where 
the  people  present  do  not  communicate,  were  utterly 
unknown  in  the  Piimitive  Church.  It  remained  for 
your  Roman  Church  to  introduce  such  novelties  as  en- 
tirely changed  the  nature  of  the  institution,  and  to  mock 
you  by  an  invitation  to  a  feast,  of  which  no  person  is 
allowed  to  partake  but  the  priest. 

After  the  consecration,  he  adores  the  consecrated  el- 
ements, and  elevates  them  in  the  sight  of  the  people, 
who  also  adore.  This  practice  was  utterly  unknown  in 
the  Primitive  Church.  Our  blessed  Lord  says,  "  Take 
and  eat."  You  depart  from  this  by  the  command  of 
your  church  ;  you  neither  take  it  nor  eat  it,  but  you  fall 
down  and  worship  it.  In  like  manner,  with  respect  to 
the  consecrated  wine,  your  church  tells  you  it  is  changed 
into  the  blood  of  our  Lord,  and  our  Lord  tells  you  all  to 
drink  of  it — a  direction  he  does  not  give  respecting  the 
bread,  notwithstanding  the  wickedness  of  your  infallible 
9 


98  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

church  in  inserting  that  word  in  reference  to  the  bread, 
as  we  have  before  shown, — as  if,  in  his  infinite  wisdom, 
he  foresaw  the  anti-scriptural  practices  of  your  church, 
and  wished  to  guard  you  against  them  by  his  own  au- 
thority, and  thus  the  precept  of  our  Lord,  as  recorded 
by  his  apostles,  and  the  practice  of  your  church,  are  in 
complete  opposition  one  to  the  other. 

Our  Lord's  command,  for  all  to  drink  the  chalice,  or 
wine,  you  give  in  the  consecration  prayer  ;  so  that  out 
of  her  own  mouth  your  church  is  condemned.  How 
can  you  justify  your  departure  from  Scripture  in  this 
instance?  Your  church  admits  it  was  the  primitive 
practice,  but  the  reasons  she  brings  forward  to  justify 
her  change  are  really  unworthy  of  comment.  Our  Lord 
commanded  both  to  he  given  :  he  commanded  his  apos- 
tles to  teach  all  nations  to  observe  what  he  had  com- 
manded, Matt,  xxviii.  You  assert,  under  one  kind  both 
the  body  and  blood  are  taken.  Where  is  this  taught  ? 
Admitting  that  the  bread  is  the  body,  and  the  wine  the 
blood,  how  do  you  show  that  both  are  the  same,  as,  if 
your  church  teaches  correctly,  must  be  the  case  ! — but 
it  is  evident  the  Primitive  Church  understood  it  in  no 
such  sense  ;  for  then  the  words  of  the  consecration  of 
both  species  would  be  the  same ;  hut  the  words  with  you 
are  different,  using  very  properly  those  of  our  Lord,  and 
with  the  grossest  inconsistence  making  no  difference  be- 
tween the  two  species  which  are  cal.ed  by  dfferent  names. 

In  order  to  defend  communion  in  one  kind  you  refer 
to  several  passages  in  the  Gospels,  where  you  say  the 
Eucharist  is  spoken  of  in  the  expression  of  "  breaking 
of  bread."  We  could  easily  show  you  that  such  ex- 
pressions do  not  refer  to  the  Eucharist  at  all ;  but  still, 
according  to  your  newly-invented  doctrine  of  "  con- 
comitance," receiving  in  one  hand  would  be  impossible, 
as  the  body  and  blood  always  go  together,  and  receiving 
both  species  would  be  only  taking  the  same  thing  twice 
over.  Thus,  all  your  arguments  to  show  the  sufficiency 
of  one  species  fall  to  the  ground. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  one  departure  of  your  Church 
from  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  gospel   more  plainly 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        99 

against  the  express  command  of  our  Lord.  Men  were 
to  be  instructed,  as  he  said,  Matt,  xxvii.  20,  to  do  as  he 
taught.  Now  the  Council  of  Constance,  held  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  the  first  of  your  infallible  councils 
which  summoned  up  sufficient  courage  expressly  to 
contradict  our  Lord's  direct  command,  admits  "  that 
Christ  did  institute  this  sacrament  in  both  kinds,  and 
that  the  faithful  in  the  Primitive  Church  did  receive  in 
both  kinds."  Gelatius,  Bishop  of  Rome,  in  the  fifth 
century,  spoke  in  the  strongest  language  against  the 
Manichees,  (ancient  heretics,)  who  would  only  take  the 
bread  and  rejected  the  wine.  His  expression  was  that 
"  such  was  a  dividing  of  one  and  the  same  mystery  or 
sacrament,  which  cannot  be  done  without  sacrilege." 

It  would  be  impossible,  within  a  short  compass,  to 
quote  the  opinions  of  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  Church, 
and  the  decrees  of  various  councils  testifying  to  the 
same  truth.  Your  present  practice  followed,  as  a  ne- 
cessary consequence,  from  the  doctrine  of  transubstan- 
tiation ;  and  your  Church,  in  order  to  work  out  consis- 
tently that  false  and  absurd  novelty,  has  been  compelled 
to  disobey  the  positive,  the  plain,  and  express  command 
of  our  Lord,  and  to  violate  the  uniform  practice  of  the 
ancient  Church  for  more  than  one  thousand  years.  Be 
assured  of  this,  however  highly  you  are  instructed  to 
value  yourselves  upon  your  orthodoxy,  had  your  Church, 
with  its  present  doctrines,  existed  in  the  early  ages, 
she  would  have  been  considered  by  the  primitive  fathers 
as  one  of  those  heretical  churches  of  the  most  danger- 
ous and  wicked  description,  and  as  most  opposed  to  the 
pure  light  of  gospel  truth,  and  every  exertion  would 
have  been  made  to  convince  her  of,  and  to  free  her 
from,  her  heresy. 

In  part  of  this  prayer  of  consecration,  we  have  a 
remarkable  illustration  of  the  truth  of  some  of  our  pre- 
ceding observations.  We  stated  that,  at  the  holy  com- 
munion, it  was  the  custom  of  the  primitive  Christians 
to  bring  offerings  or  oblations  for  the  support  of  the 
Church;  out  of  these  which  were  offered  to  Cod,  were 
taken  the  bread  and  wine  for  the  celebration  of  tho 


16 


100  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Eucharist,  and  this  was  the  offering  or  oblation  men- 
tioned sometimes  by  the  early  fathers. 

You  say,  "  Wherefore,  O  Lord,  we,  thy  servants, 
offer  unto  thy  Most  Excellent  Majesty,  of  thy  gifts 
bestowed  upon  us,  a  pure  host,  an  holy  host,  an  im- 
maculate host;  the  blessed  bread  of  eternal  life,  and 
the  chalice  of  everlasting  salvation."  Here  we  find 
traces  of  ancient  doctrine,  though  miserably  corrupted. 
Both  the  elements  are  called  the  host  or  victim,  but 
still  the  one  is  called  the  bread,  and  the  other  the  chal- 
ice, or  cup  of  eternal  life.  Surely,  when  this  prayer 
was  composed,  at  least  the  ancient  part  of  it,  the  doc- 
trine of  the  bread  and  the  wine  after  consecration  being 
virtually  the  same,  or  two  bodies  and  two  bloods,  could 
never  have  been  entertained  in  the  Church — nor  could 
the  early  Christians  ever  have  believed  that  they,  when 
spoken  of  in  this  manner,  had  become  the  very  body 
and  the  very  blood  of  our  blessed  Lord,  and  therefore 
to  be  worshipped. 

We  come  next  to  remark  upon  the  prayer  used  after 
consecration,  which  we  gave  before,  where  you  call 
upon  God  to  look  upon  what  is  offered  to  him  with  a 
propitious  and  serene  countenance,  and  to  accept  them 
as  the  gift  of  Abel  was  accepted,  and  the  sacrifice  of 
Abraham,  and  what  the  high  priest,  Melchisedech,  of- 
fered, a  holy  sacrifice,  an  unspotted  host  or  victim. 
What  is  the  meaning  of  this  prayer  ?  Upon  your  own 
principles  you  are  taught  to  believe  that  the  oblation 
you  present  is  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  you  call  upon  God  to  look  upon  them  with 
a  serene  and  propitious  countenance.  Surely  you  must 
forget  your  own  belief  in  other  points.  Surely  God 
has  accepted  them — surely  God  has  looked  with  favor 
upon  his  Son  Jesus,  and  raised  him  from  the  dead  ;  and 
that  same  body  and  blood  is  now  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  united  with  the  divinity  of  Jesus,  to  make  inter- 
cession for  us.  You  call  upon  God  to  accept  them  as 
he  accepted  Abel's  offerings  or  Abraham's  sacrifice, 
presumptuously  comparing  them  to  the  offering  made 
by  Jesus  upon  the  cross.     Why  were  these  sacrifices 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       101 

accepted,  as  sin-offerings,  but  because  there  was  a  vic- 
tim slain  ?  Abel's  was  the  firstling  of  his  flocks  ;  and 
we  also  read  of  the  bloody  sacrifice  made  by  Abraham, 
Gen.  xxii.  13,  of  the  ram,  instead  of  his  son  Isaac  :  all 
which  had  no  merit  in  themselves,  but  only  as  they 
were  typical  of  that  one  great  sacrifice  made  by  Jesus 
upon  the  cross. 

You  also  allude  to  the  holy  sacrifice,  the  unspotted 
host  of  Melchisedech.  Where  did  your  infallible  Church 
discover  that  Melchisedech  ever  offered  a  holy  sacri- 
fice, an  unspotted  host  to  God]  Look  to  your  own 
Bible, — and,  blessed  be  God,  you  can,  in  these  free 
countries,  do  so  with  impunity — open  it  at  Gen.  xiv.  18. 
Abraham,  we  are  told  in  the  preceding  verses,  was  re- 
turning home,  after  having  defeated  and  slain  those 
kings  who  had  taken  his  nephew  Lot  captive,  and  all 
his  possessions.  But  Melchisedech,  King  of  Salem, 
bringing  forth  bread  and  wine,  for  he  was  the  priest  of 
the  Most  High  God,  blessed  him  and  said — "  Blessed 
be  Abraham,  by  the  Most  High  God,  who  created  hea- 
ven and  earth,  and  blessed  be  the  Most  High  God,  by 
whose  protection  your  enemies  are  in  your  hands.  And 
he  (Abraham)  gave  him  tithes  of  all  he  had  taken." 
There  is  no  further  mention  of  the  matter.  Where 
then  is  the  holy  sacrifice,  the  unspotted  host,  which 
your  Church  profanely  says  Melchisedech  offered  to 
God  ?  The  high  priest  brought  out  bread  and  wine  to 
Abraham,  and  his  men,  wherewith  to  refresh  them- 
selves. What  is  there  here  to  countenance  the  notion 
of  sacrifice  ?  Your  translation  and  the  Protestant  trans- 
lation of  this  passage  are  not  the  same.  I  give  you  all 
the  benefit  of  your  own  translation,  however  erroneous 
we  believe  it  to  be. 

I  will  now  show  you,  upon  the  authority  of  St.  Paul, 
what  the  true  meaning  of  that  expression  is,  of  our 
Lord  "  being  a  priest  forever  after  the  order  of  Mel- 
chisedech." You  can  refer  to  the  seventh  chapter  of 
Hebrews,  where  he  is  describing  the  superior  excel- 
lence of  the  priesthood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
the  Jewish  priesthood.     Is  it  not  then  most  remarkable, 


102  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

that  in  describing  the  priesthood  of  Melchisedech,  he 
should  omit  that  very  particular  in  which  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  asserts  his  priesthood  to  consist1?  He 
enumerates  every  particular  related  by  Moses  in  Gene- 
sis, respecting  him,  with  the  exception  of  his  bringing 
forth  bread  and  wine  ;  and  why  does  he  omit  this,  but 
because  the  apostle  considered  it  constituted  no  part  of 
his  priestly  office,  but  did  of  his  kingly  office  ?  an  allu- 
sion to  which  was  not  at  all  to  the  purpose  that  St. 
Paul  had  in  view.  It  was  the  custom  for  nations  and 
kings,  as  we  read  in  Scripture,  and  elsewhere,  to  supply 
the  armies  of  their  friends  with  provisions  as  they 
passed  in  their  neighborhood,  Deut.  ii.  28,  29  ;  xxiii.  4 ; 
Judges  viii.  5,  6  ;  2  Sam.  xvii.  27.  The  priestly  acts 
of  Melchisedech  are  mentioned  expressly  by  the  apos- 
tle, namely,  his  blessing  Abraham,  and  his  receiving 
from  him  tenths  or  tithes.  How  was  he  then  likened 
unto  the  Son  of  God  ?  The  apostle  tells  us,  verse  3, 
"  because  he  was  without  father,  without  mother,  with- 
out genealogy ;  having  neither  beginning  of  days,  nor 
end  of  life."  Now  see  the  apostle's  argument.  He 
wished,  as  we  before  observed,  to  show  the  superior 
excellence  of  our  Lord's  priesthood,  to  that  of  the 
Jewish.  Melchisedech  was  the  priest  of  the  Most 
High  God  ;  and  we  find  him  exercising  this  office,  as 
the  apostle  states,  by  receiving  tithes  from  Abraham, 
and  blessing  him.  The  father  and  mother  of  Melchise- 
dech are  not  known  ;  his  genealogy  or  descent  is  not 
recorded,  rather  is  purposely  omitted,  by  the  direction 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  whom  Moses  was  guided  in  his 
writings ;  his  birth  or  his  death  is  not  ascertained — 
who  his  predecessor  in  the  priesthood  was,  or  who  his 
successor,  is  not  known.  Consecmently  the  Jews  could 
not  argue  against  our  Lord's  priesthood,  because  he 
was  not  of  the  family  of  Levi,  but  descended  from  the 
tribe  of  Judah  ;  for  we  find  Abraham,  the  ancestor  of 
Levi,  receiving  a  blessing  from  Melchisedech,  and  pay- 
ing him  tithes — thus  acknowledging  his  superiority  ;  as 
the  apostle  St.  Paul  expresses  it,  verse  7 — "  And  with- 
out all  contradiction,  that  which  is  less  is  blessed  by 
the  greater." 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  103 

But  even  supposing  that  Melchisedech  offered  bread 
and  wine  to  God,  (which  we  know  he  did  not,)  and  not 
to  Abraham,  surely  your  church  has  no  warrant  for  her 
most  extraordinary  and  most  unmeaning  prayer.  In 
what  sense  can  the  bread  and  wine,  unconsecrated,  as 
brought  forth  by  Melchisedech,  be  called  "  a  holy  sacri- 
fice," an  "  unspotted  host  or  victim  V  If  it  were  offered 
to  God,  it  was  offered  as  a  free-will  offering,  as  before 
stated,  and  in  the  same  manner,  and  with  the  same  in- 
tention, as  we  have  already  shown,  that  the  primitive 
Christians  offered  their  oblations,  and  that  bread  and 
wine  which  were  afterwards  consecrated  for  the  pur- 
pose of  the  Eucharist. 

Surely  you  must  admit  that  this  is  a  gross  perversion 
of  the  sacred  Scriptures.  When  the  ancient  church 
offered  up  to  God  the  bread  and  wine,  the  fruits  of  the 
earth  intended  for  the  Eucharist,  they  had  no  idea  of 
their  being  offered  up  in  any  other  sense  than  as  a  free- 
will offering  unto  the  Lord.  St.  Paul  places  this  mat- 
ter beyond  all  doubt,  in  the  tenth  chapter  of  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews,  when  he  is  contrasting  the  Jewish 
sacrifices  with  the  one  sacrifice  of  tfce  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  which  they  typified.  He  says,  v.  22,  ik  But  he, 
(Jesus,)  offering  one  sacrifice  for  sins,  forever  sitteth  at 
the  right  hand  of  God."  How  absurd  to  say,  in  oppo- 
sition to  this  assertion,  that  his  body  and  blood  are  on 
the  altar,  and  that  you  are  bound  to  worship  them 
there,  "  For,  v.  14,  by  one  oblation  he  hath  perfected 
forever  them  that  are  sanctified  ;"  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
also  doth  testify  to  us — "  And  this  is  the  covenant 
which  I  will  make  with  them  after  those  days,  saith 
the  Lord,  I  will  give  my  laws  to  their  hearts,  and  on 
their  minds  will  I  write  them,  and  their  sins  and  ini- 
quities I  will  remember  no  more."  "  Now,"  adds  the 
apostle,  "  where  there  is  a  remission  of  these,  there  is 
no  more  an  oblation  for  sin."  And  yet  you  call  your- 
selves an  Apostolic  Church,  say  there  is  a  further  ob- 
lation for  sin,  and  thus  contradict  an  inspired  apostle — 
one  expressly  instructed  by  the  Holy  Ghost !  And 
this  conclusion  is  very  plain  ;  for  if  all  sins  and  iniqui- 


104  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

ties  are  not  remembered  by  God  against  those  who  are 
sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost  through  the  one  sacrifice, 
which  is  a  perfect  and  finished  one,  as  the  apostle  tells 
us  immediately  after — if  that  one  sacrifice  made  by 
Jesus  upon  the  cross,  "  exhausted,"  as  you  translate  it, 
Heb.  ix.  28,  "  the  sins  of  many,"  what  further  need  is 
there  for  any  other  offering,  when  the  one  is  sufficient  1 
Besides,  St.  Paul  tells  you  plainly,  that  even  upon  your 
own  grounds  it  cannot  be  an  offering  for  the  remission 
of  sin,  which  your  church,  as  she  tells  you,  makes  of 
the  Saviour  in  an  unbloody  manner ;  for  he  tells  you  as 
plainly  as  words  can  express  it,  "  that  without  shedding 
of  blood  there  is  no  remission."  By  the  phrase  "  shed- 
ding of  blood,"  is  implied  the  slaying  of  the  victim. 

Even  the  term  "  consecration,"  which  is  used  in  your 
Mass  to  express  the  change  which  takes  place  in  the 
elements,  shows  what  the  view  of  the  Primitive  Church 
was.  "  Consecrate"  means  to  dedicate  to  sacred  pur- 
poses, and  this  is  what  the  ancient  church  did.  Why 
not  call  it  the  prayer  of  "  Transubstantiation  %n  Such 
would  certainly  be  a  more  appropriate  title,  and  suit 
much  better  wilk  your  new  doctrines.  Thus,  you  see 
into  what  absurdities,  into  what  anti-scriptural  tenets, 
your  church  has  fallen,  when  she  once  left  the  pure 
light  of  Scripture,  and  by  wicked  inventions  sought  to 
raise  herself  in  the  estimation  of  her  ignorant  fol- 
lowers. 

Another  practice  your  priests  have  at  the  Mass, 
which,  upon  your  own  grounds,  is  more  than  absurd, 
the  signing  with  the  sign  of  the  cross  the  consecrated 
elements.  This,  upon  -the  principles  of  your  church, 
that  they  have  become  the  body  and  blood,  with  the 
soul  and  divinity  of  our  blessed  Lord,  is  an  exhibition 
of  presumptuous  ignorance  and  inconsistence  utterly 
unaccountable,  unless  upon  the  supposition  that  your 
church  practised  it  before  she  taught  you  to  believe  that 
the  elements  had  become  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
Lord.  Could  any  thing  your  priests  do  make  Jesus 
more  holy,  more  pure  1  While  he  walked  upon  earth, 
could  his  apostles  have  made  him  so  ?     And  still  your 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  105 

church  pretends  she  has  such  power.  One  of  your  pre- 
tended reasons  for  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  is,  to 
keep  off  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  here  you  pretend 
to  fright  away  the  evil  spirits  from  that  which  you  are 
taught  to  believe  is  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord. 
Away  with  such  blasphemous  presumption  ! 

You  pray  that  these  oblations,  which  have  become, 
according  to  your  church,  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
Lord,  may  be  carried  by  the  hands  of  a  blessed  angel 
to  God's  high  altar.  What  authority  have  you  from 
God's  word  to  sanction  any  such  petition  ?  You  ac- 
knowledge that  Jesus  is  now  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
having  made  his  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,  which  sacrifice  God  has  accepted.  He  is  now 
at  the  right  hand  of  God  making  intercession  for  his 
faithful  people  ;  still,  although  you  admit  all  this  to  be 
true,  you,  in  addition,  invent  a  new  doctrine.  You 
teach  that  your  church  has  power  to  form  a  similar 
body  to  that  now  at  God's  right  hand,  and  you  employ 
an  angel  to  carry  it  to  heaven,  and  upon  an  altar  of 
genuine  Roman  anti-scriptural  construction,  to  offer  him 
afresh,  as  if  his  first  sacrifice  were  insufficient,  and  his 
present  intercession  unavailing.  Surely  it  was  Jesus 
offered  himself.  No  created  being,  angel  or  man,  could 
make  such  an  offering  or  sacrifice. 

But  at  the  conclusion  of  that  prayer  we  find  traces  of 
the  ancient  pure  doctrine  ;  for  you  supplicate  that  as 
many  as  partake  of  the  body  and  blood,  (and  here  the 
priest  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  the  host  and 
the  chalice,  plainly  implying  that  one  is,  as  you  teach 
— and  represents,  as  we  believe — the  body,  and  the 
chalice  the  blood,)  should  be  filled  with  all  heavenly 
benediction  and  grace.  Surely  that  part  of  the  prayer 
was  composed  when  both  were  given  to  the  people ;  and 
the  inference  follows,  that  they  were  not  to  be  filled 
with  these  spiritual  blessings  unless  they  partook  of 
both  the  bread  and  the  wine.  Your  church,  brethren, 
has  fallen  into  awful  error  upon  this  point :  the  first  and 
fundamental  error  of  transubstantiation  drew  after  it 
several  others.     Do  not  imagine  that  this  doctrine  was 


106  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

not  opposed  when  it  was  first  introduced.  We  find 
many  evidences  that  it  was,  most  fiercely  and  vehement- 
ly ;  we  have  thus  irresistible  proofs  to  show  that  such  a 
doctrine  was  not  received  or  submitted  to  quietly  in  the 
early  ages  of  the  church. 

You  have  heard  of  the  Arian  heresy  which  prevailed 
in  the  fourth  century  after  our  Lord,  the  supporters  of 
which  attacked  his  divinity,  denied  him  to  be  God,  and 
said  he  was  only  a  superior  angel.  This  controversy 
was  kept  up  for  many  years.  The  Arian  side  was  sup- 
ported by  many  bishops,  even  by  some  of  the  bishops 
of  Rome,  heads  of  your  infallible  church  ;  and  yet  your 
doctrine  was  never  attacked  ;  and  surely  if  the  divinity 
of  our  Lord  were  attacked,  the  consequences  of  that 
divinity  must  have  been  attacked,  namely — transubstan- 
tiation.  And  again,  in  all  the  apologies  and  defences 
for  Christianity  published  in  the  early  ages  by  Justin 
Martyr,  Tertullian,  Origen,  &c,  &c,  in  which  we  find 
many  strange  and  wicked  charges  brought  forward  by 
the  enemies  of  the  Christian  faith,  among  whom  was 
Julian  the  apostate,  a  crafty  and  subtle  opponent,  we 
do  not  discover  any  charge  connected  with  this  subject ; 
a  conclusive  evidence  that  no  such  doctrine  was  enter- 
tained in  the  church  at  that  period  ;  for  surely  had  it 
been  then  taught  it  would  have  been  fiercely  attacked. 
All  the  ancient  liturgies  bear  testimony  to  the  correct- 
ness of  our  views ;  and  the  frequent  use  of  the  words 
"  type,"  "  antitype,"  "  sign,"  and  "  mystery,"  as  applied 
to  the  bread  and  wine  with  reference  to  the  body  and 
blood  of  our  Lord,  show  clearly  what  the  Primitive 
Church  inculcated. 

The  first  writer  who  brought  forward  the  doctrine  of 
transubstantiation  was  Paschasius  Radbert,  monk  of 
Corby,  who  lived  in  the  eighth  century ;  he  is  acknow- 
ledged by  Bellarmin  and  Sirmandus — two  eminent  Ro- 
man Catholic  divines — to  be  the  first  writer  who  spe- 
cially advanced  and  explained  this  doctrine.  He  was 
opposed  by  several  most  eminent  men ;  by  Johannes 
Scotus  Erigena,  the  Irishman,  (yes,  an  Irishman  op- 
posed  the    novel  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  when 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       107 

first  introduced,)  Bertram  of  Ratram,  &c,  &c,  all  of 
whose  doctrines  agree  with  the  reformed  church.  Be- 
rengarius,  in  the  eleventh  century,  also  opposed  it ;  hut 
the  age  of  darkness  had  set  in  upon  the  church — he 
was  condemned  by  several  succeeding  councils.  The 
expression  or  term,  "  transubstantiation,"  was  unknown 
in  the  ancient  church.  Manning,  a  celebrated  Roman 
Catholic  writer,  in  his  "  Shortest  Way  to  End  Dis- 
putes," page  134,  admits  that  it  was  first  used  at  the 
fourth  Lateran  Council,  more  than  one  thousand  years 
after  the  institution  of  the  Last  Supper ;  and  it  is  truly 
remarkable,  that  at  the  period  of  the  grossest  darkness 
and  ignorance  in  Europe — when  few  knew  how  to  read 
— before  the  art  of  printing  had  been  discovered — those 
corrupt  and  monstrous  doctrines  were  forced  upon  the 
poor,  ignorant,  and  defenceless  people,  by  which  the 
power  of  the  Roman  Church  was  extended,  and  kings 
and  nations  grievously  oppressed ;  and  this  we  find 
foretold  in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  xiii. 

Still  this  tyranny  did  not  entirely  suppress  the  op- 
position, which  the  false  doctrines  of  the  Church  of 
Rome  received.  The  Waldenses  and  the  Albigenses 
proclaimed  their  detestation  of  those  novel  principles 
which  were  then  endeavored  to  be  forced  upon  the 
church  ;  and  for  doing  so,  encountered  the  unmitigated 
persecution  of  the  church  of  Rome.  The  sword  and 
the  fagot  were  used,  and  every  effort  was  made  to  ex- 
terminate all  opposers  of  the  Roman  heresy ;  and  it  is 
stated  that  upwards  of  one  million  of  those  whom  you 
call  heretics,  were  destroyed  in  the  twelfth  and  thir- 
teenth centuries,  though  your  teachers  would  persuade 
you,  that  your  false  and  usurping  church  received  no 
opposition  before  Luther. 

We  find  Wickliff,  in  England,  protesting  against  the 
errors  of  your  church  in  the  14th  century ;  and  John 
Huss,  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  sealed  with  their  blood 
the  sincerity  of  their  belief,  at  the  stake  to  which  they 
were  condemned  by  the  Council  of  Constance,  held  in 
the  15th  century,  which  set  at  naught  the  oath  of  safety 
which  they  had  obtained  from  the  emperor,  Sigismund, 


108  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

if  they  would  attend  the  council,  and  from  which  this 
wicked  council  thought  fit  to  release  him,  upon  the  prin- 
ciple that  no  faith  was  to  be  kept  with  heretics. 

You  know  how  Luther  recommenced  the  attack,*  it 
was  only  recommencing  it.  The  art  of  printing  had 
been  discovered ;  and  by  the  printing  and  circulation  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  revealed  Word  of  God,  the 
opposers  of  Rome's  usurpation  had  multiplied  to  such 
an  extent,  that  the  old  and  frequently  successfully  tried 
system  of  extermination  by  fire  and  sword  was  unavail- 
ing, and  Protestants  (so  called  from  protesting  against 
the  innovations  and  errors  of  popery)  were  enabled, 
with  the  Divine  assistance,  to  withstand  their  persecu- 
tors. And  the  more  extensively  God's  word  is  spread, 
and  is  looked  upon  as  the  pillar  and  ground  of  Divine 
truth,  so  much  the  more  will  Protestantism  prevail,  be- 
cause it  takes  for  its  foundation  and  rule,  that  sacred 
volume  which  is  so  much  opposed  to  the  Roman  doc- 
trines which  have  been  latterly  introduced,  and  because 
it  is  "  able  to  make  us  wise,  or  instructed,  in  the  way 
of  salvation,  through  faith,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Our  Blessed  Lord  himself  has  given  us  warning  upon 
this  subject ;  he,  in  the  exercise  of  his  Divine  wisdom, 
foresaw  the  gross  abuses  which  would  prevail  in  the 
church  upon  this  subject.  In  the  twenty-fourth  chapter 
of  Matthew,  we  have  a  most  important  caution  from  our 
Lord  himself — we  read,  v.  23,  "  then  if  any  man  shall 
say  unto  you  :  Lo,  here  is  Christ,  or  there,  do  not  be- 
lieve him — for  there  shall  arise  false  Christs  and  false 
prophets,  and  shall  show  great  signs  and  wonders,  in- 
somuch as  to  deceive,  if  it  be  possible,  even  the  elect. 
Behold  I  have  told  it  to  you  beforehand.     If,  therefore, 


*  Three  circumstances,  humanly  speaking,  greatly  favored  the  Re- 
formation at  the  time  of  Luther.  1.— The  discovery  of  the  art  of 
printing,  by  which  copies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  placed  in  the 
hands  of  multitudes  who  before  could  not  procure  them.  2.— The 
taking  of  Constantinople  by  the  Turks  a  short  time  previous,  by  which 
many  learned  men,  who  differed  from  the  Roman  faith,  were  driven 
into  those  countries  under  the  Pope's  dominion.  And  3.— The  flagrant 
violation  of  all  decency,  by  Tetzel,  in  the  sale  of  Indulgences,  for 
which  he  obtained  a  commission  from  the  Pope. 


OF    THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH-  109 

they  (those  false  prophets  or  teachers)  say  :  Behold,  he 
is  in  the  desert,  go  ye  not  out.  Behold,  he  (that  is, 
Christ)  is  in  the  closets,  believe  it  not."  Now  bring 
your  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  to  the  test  of  this 
passage.  Your  church  says,  Christ  is  here  in  the 
priest's  hands — fall  down  and  worship  him  :  our  Lord 
tells  you  to  believe  no  such  assertion.  Your  church 
teaches  you  that  her  truth  and  power  were  confirmed 
by  many  miracles,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  tells  you 
on  that  very  account,  you  should  be  more  upon  your 
guard  against  her  teaching,  for  it  is  by  such  means, 
namely,  by  great  signs  and  wonders  men  will  be  de- 
ceived. Your  church  tells  you  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  locked  up  in  a  little  box  or  tabernacle,  or  pyx  ; 
and  Jesus  himself  tells  you  not  to  credit  any  such  asser- 
tion. The  word  translated  "  closets,"  may  be  more 
properly  rendered  by  the  term  "  cupboard,"  which  ac- 
curately applies  to  what  the  host  is  preserved  in. 
Jesus  himself  tells  you  not  to  believe  this — your  church 
tells  you  that  you  must ;  which  are  you  to  listen  to  ? 
More  than  one  of  the  apostles  have  recorded  this  warn- 
ing of  our  Lord. 

Jesus  instituted  his  Last  Supper,  and  desired  his  ser- 
vants to  do  the  same,  in  commemoration  or  remem- 
brance of  him  ;  if  he  were  to  be  present,  bodily,  in  the 
sacrament,  such  a  reason  for  celebrating  the  Eucharist 
would  be  unintelligible,  as  we  cannot  commemorate  one 
who  is  present.  When  the  early  Christians  commemo- 
rated the  martyrs  and  saints,  to  which  we  referred  be- 
fore, surely  it  was  upon  the  supposition  of  their  absence 
in  glory,  in  order  to  be  excited  to  imitate  their  holiness 
and  constancy  in  the  faith  ;  their  living  bodily  presence 
was  never  contemplated.  When  the  same  expression 
in  the  original  is  used  with  reference  to  our  Blessed 
Lord,  why  should  so  different  a  meaning  be  given,  and 
why  should  you  be  taught  that  he  is  present,  bodily, 
in  the  Eucharist,  when  the  very  phrase  clearly  implies 
his  absence  ;  as  we  are  never  said  to  do  any  thing  in 
remembrance  of  one  who  is  present  with  us,  and  be- 
10 


110  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

fore  our  eyes,*  as  you  say  the  Lord  Jesus  is  in  the 
wafer  1 

Jesus  tells  us,  Matt,  xxviii.  20,  "  Behold  I  am  with 
you  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world." 
And  in  chap.  xxvi.  11,  we  find  him  saying — "  Me  ye 
have  not  always."  How  are  you  to  reconcile  this  ap- 
parent contradiction,  except  that  in  one  place  he  speaks 
of  his  body,  which  is  ever  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and 
in  the  other  of  his  Spirit,  by  which  he  watches  over, 
and  listens  to  the  supplications,  and  supplies  the  wants 
of  the  faithful  members  of  his  church.  But  hear  what 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  says,  Matt.  xv.  13,  14 — "  Every 
plant  which  my  Heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted, 
shall  be  rooted  up  ;"  which  means,  that  every  doctrine 
attempted  to  be  established  by  men,  without  the  authori- 
ty of  God,  will  ultimately  be  destroyed.  Teaching  for 
doctrines  the  commandments  of  men,  is  only  vain  wor- 
ship, Matt.  xv.  9  ;  such  a  system  in  vain  seeks  the  favor 
of  God  :  to  be  acceptable  to  him,  it  must  be  reformed 
by  the  light  of  his  own  word.  And  in  the  next  verse, 
our  Lord  says  of  such  as  teach  and  support  any  unscrip- 
tural  tenets,  unsanctioned  by  him — "  Let  them  alone, 
they  are  blind,  and  leaders  of  the  blind  ;  and  if  the 
blind  lead  the  blind,  both  fall  into  the  pit."  You  see, 
from  this  passage,  that  your  following  the  false  teaching 
of  your  church,  is  no  justification  for  your  falling  into 
error.  God  has  given  you  his  word  to  give  you  light 
in  your  course  ;  and  if  you  turn  away  from  the  teaching 
of  Christ  himself,  and  of  his  holy  apostles,  and  follow 
after  blind  guides  who  tell  you  that  they  can  teach  you 
plainer  than  our  Lord  and  his  inspired  evangelists,  and 
independently  of  his  written  word, — which  those  wil- 

*  The  argument  used  by  Romanists  against  this  view,  from  the  text, 
"Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,"  Eccl.  xii.  1, 
that  we  are  desired  here  to  remember  God,  though  he  is  present,  proves 
nothing  in  their  favor.  If  we  could  see  God  with  our  eyes,  the  case 
would  be  different.  But  as  "  no  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time," 
John,  i.  18,  we  are  apt  to  forget  his  spiritual  presence  everywhere ;  and 
therefore  we  are  called  upon  to  remember  him,  that  is,  that  his  Spirit  is 
present  with  us  and  about  our  path  and  about  our  bed,  spieth  out  all 
our  ways,  Psalm  exxxix.  2.  This  passage  strongly  supports,  not  your 
views,  but  those  of  Protestants. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       Ill 

fully  blind  guides  say  you  cannot  understand,  and  must 
therefore  take  upon  trust  from  those  very  persons  whose 
interest  it  is  to  deceive  you, — what  else  can  you  expect 
but  to  fall  into  error  and  heresy,  hateful  to  God,  and 
destructive  of  your  eternal  interests  ? 

R. — Commemoratio  pro  functis. 
T. — Commemoration  for  the  dead. 

Memento  etiam,  Domine,  famulorum  famularumque 
tuorum,  N.  et  N.  qui  nos  praecesserunt  cum  signo  fidei, 
et  dormiunt  in  somno  pacis. 

T. — Remember  also,  O  Lord,  thy  menservants  and 
handmaidens  who  have  gone  before  us  with  the  sign  of 
the  faith,  and  sleep  in  the  sleep  of  peace. 

R. — Jungit  manus,  orat  aliquantulum  pro  iis  defunctis, 
pro  quibus  orare  intendit,  deinde  extensis  manibus  prose- 
quitur. 

T. — He  joins  his  hands,  and  prays  for  a  short  time 
for  those  dead  persons  for  whom  he  intends  to  pray  ; 
then  with  extended  hands  he  proceeds — 

Ipsis,  Domine,  et  omnibus  in  Christo  quiescentibus, 
locum  refrigerii,  lucis,  et  pacis,  ut  indulgeas  deprecamur, 
(jungit  manus  et  caput  inclinat.)  Per  eundem  Christum 
Dominum  nostrum.     Amen. 

T. — To  them,  0  Lord,  and  to  all  who  rest  in  Christ, 
we  pray  that  thou  mayest  grant  a  place  of  refreshment, 
light,  and  peace,  (he  joins  his  hands  and  bows  his  head,) 
through  the  same  Christ,  our  Lord.     Amen. 

We  admit  this  to  be  an  ancient  prayer  ;  and  our  rea- 
son for  doing  so  is,  that  although  it  sanctions  prayers  for 
the  dead,  an  early  heresy,  which  we  before  showed  re- 
ceived no  support  from  our  Lord  or  his  holy  apostles  ; 
still  it  proves  to  us,  what  we  have  repeatedly  remarked 
in  the  preceding  pages,  that  the  errors  of  your  church 
were  introduced  successively.  For  whom  do  you  pray 
here  1  You  answer,  for  those  who  have  departed  or  died 
with  the  sign  of  the  faith,  and  sleep  the  sleep  of  peace. 
Where  are  such — are  they  in  purgatory  ]  How  can 
they  be  undergoing  a  process  of  purifying  punishment, 


112  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

and,  at  the  same  time,  sleeping  the  sleep  of  peace  ? 
Those  that  die  in  the  Lord,  in  the  faith  of  Jesus,  rest 
from  their  labors,  as  St.  John  tells  us,  Rev.  xiv.  13, 
upon  the  authority  of  a  voice  from  heaven,  to  which  we 
before  referred.  Can  any  thing  be  more  absurd  than 
your  doctrine  ?  If  they  die  in  the  Lord,  they  rest  from 
their  labors.  You  only  pray  for  those  who  die  in  the 
faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  though  you  acknowledge 
they  sleep  in  peace,  still  you  pray  that  they  may  obtain 
that  which  you  admit  they  already  enjoy.  Where  is 
purgatory  taught  here  1 — quite  the  contrary. 

Again,  we  find  a  plain  proof  of  what  I  stated  before, 
that  your  church  began  to  pray  for  the  departed  saints 
before  you  were  taught  to  pray  to  them  ;  and  Milner,  in 
his  "  End  of  Religious  Controversy,"  unintentionally 
bears  his  testimony  to  the  truth  of  this  assertion.  In 
the  note  on  the  article  "  Apostolicity,"  he  is  giving  a 
sort  of  epitome  of  the  history  of  the  church,  and  of  the 
errors  of  those  whom  he  calls  heretics.  In  the  fourth 
century,  he  speaks  of  "  the  Arians  who  impugned,  or 
opposed,  prayers  for  the  dead."  And  in  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, he  speaks  of  Vigilantius,  "  who  scoffed  at  the  celi- 
bacy of  the  clergy,  prayers  to  the  saints,  and  veneration 
for  their  relics."  Thus  admitting  indirectly  that  praying 
for,  preceded  praying  to  the  saints,  the  one  being  attack- 
ed before  the  other.  You  pray  not  only  for  "  ipsis  N. 
et  N.,"  that  is,  for  those  who  are  individually  named, 
but  also  for  "  omnibus  in  Christe  quiescentibus,"  for  all 
who  rest  or  sleep  in  Christ,  that  they  may  obtain  a  place 
of  refreshment,  light,  and  peace.  Now,  my  Roman 
Catholic  brethren,  do  the  saints  rest  in  Christ  Jesus  1 
Does  the  blessed  Virgin  rest  in  Christ  Jesus  1  If  you 
believe  they  do,  your  church  teaches  you  to  pray  for 
them  ;  and  how  utterly  inconsistently,  Jiow  absurdly  are 
you  instructed  to  pray  for  the  saints  and  to  the  saints  in 
the  same  service.  I  leave  it  to  your  infallible  church 
to  reconcile  this  difficulty ;  and  certainly  it  requires  a 
strong  confidence  in  such  infallibility,  to  believe  in  as- 
sertions and  doctrines  so  entirely  at  variance  with  each 
other. 


OF   THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  113 

R. — Manu  dextera  percutit  sibi  pectus,  elata  parum 
voce  dicens. 

T. — He  strikes  his  breast  with  his  right  hand,  and 
with  his  voice  a  little  raised,  says — 

Nobis  quoque  peccatoribus  famulis  tuis,  de  multitudine 
miserationum  tuarum  sperantibus,  partem  et  aliquam  et 
societatem  donare  digneris  cum  tuis  Sanctis  apostolis  et 
martyribus  ;  cum  Joanne,  Stephano,  Matthia,  Barnaba, 
Ignatio,  Alexandro,  Marcellino,  Petro,  Felicitate,  Per- 
petua,  Agatha,  Lucia,  Agnete,  Csscilia,  Anastatia,  et 
omnibus  Sanctis  tuis  ;  intra  quorum  nos  consortium,  non 
aestimator  meriti,  sed  veniae  quaesumus  largitor,  admitte, 
(jungitmanus.)  Per  Christum  Dominum  nostrum.  Amen. 

T. — To  us,  also,  sinners,  thy  servants,  confiding  in 
the  multitude  of  thy  mercies,  vouchsafe  to  grant  some 
part  and  fellowship  with  thy  holy  apostles  and  martyrs ; 
with  John,  Stephen,  Mathias,  Barnabas,  Ignatius,  Alex- 
ander, Marcellinus,  Peter,  Felicitatis,  Perpetua,  Agatha, 
Lucia,  Agnes,  Caecilia,  Anastasia,  and  all  the  saints  ; 
into  whose  company  we  beseech  thee  to  admit  us,  not  in 
consideration  of  any  of  our  merits,  but  the  bestower  of 
pardon  on  our  offences  ;  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

Per  quern  haec  omnia,  Domine,  semper  bona  creas, 
(signat  ter  super  hostiam  et  calicem  simul  dicens,)  sancti 
•J-  ficas,  vivi  »»>  fleas,  bene  *f«  dicis,  et  preestas  nobis, 
(discooperit  calicem  genuflectit,  accepit  sacramentum 
dextera,  tenens  sinistra  calicem,  signat  cum  hostia  ter  a 
labia  ad  labrum  calicis,  dicens,)  Per  ipsum,  et  cum  ip  »fi 
so,  et  in  ip  *|»  so,  (bis  signat  inter  calicem  et  pectus,)  est 
tibi  Deo  patri  «£-  omnipotent,  in  unitate  Spiritus  *f-  Sanc- 
ti, (elevans  parum  calicem  cum  hostia  dicit,)  omnis  honor 
et  gloria,  (reponit  hostiam,  cooperit  calicem,  genuflectit 
surgit  et  dicit,)  per  omnia  seecula  saeculorum.     Amen. 

T. — By  whom,  O  Lord,  thou  dost  always  create  all 
these  good  things,  (he  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  three 
times  over  the  host  and  the  chalice,  saying  at  the  same 
time,) — Sanctify,  "r  enliven,  »J«  bless,  «f«  and  afford  us  all 
of  them,  (he  then  uncovers  the  chalice,  kneels  down, 
10* 


114  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

takes  the  sacrament  in  his  right  hand,  holding  the 
chalice  in  his  left,  he  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  three 
times  from  edge  to  edge  of  the  chalice,  saying,) — by  "f- 
whom,  and  with  •{«  whom,  and  in  «f>  whom,  (he  makes 
the  sign  of  the  cross  twice  between  the  chalice  and  his 
breast,)  there  is  to  thee,  God,  the  Father  «f>  Almighty, 
in  the  unity  of  the  Holy  "J*  Ghost,  (raising  the  chalice  a 
little  with  the  host,  he  says,) — all  honor  and  glory,  (he  lays 
down  the  host,  he  covers  the  chalice,  kneels  down,  rises 
up,  and  says,) — for  ever  and  ever.     Res. — Amen. 

We  have,  in  this  prayer,  another  remarkable  instance 
of  the  gross  inconsistency  of  some  of  the  prayers  in 
your  Mass,  with  your  professed  doctrines  ;  and  also  with 
each  other.  You  call  upon  God  to  admit  you  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  blessed  saints  and  apostles  and  martyrs 
— and  on  what  do  you  ground  your  claim  of  such  a  bless- 
ing1? Is  it  on  account  of  your  own  merits,  or  the  merits 
of  those  apostles,  saints,  and  martyrs  1  No,  you  dis- 
claim most  properly  all  such  merit ;  and  you  beseech  for 
pardon  through  his  merits,  who  alone  possesses  any  in 
the  sight  of  God,  namely,  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord.  We 
would  here  inquire,  is  it  not  sufficient  for  you  to  suppli- 
cate to  enjoy  the  fellowship  of  the  holy  apostles  and 
saints,  and  martyrs  as  a  body,  but  you  must  needs  also 
introduce  a  number  of  names  of  persons  of  whom  you 
know  nothing  1  They  may  be  good  or  bad,  for  aught 
you  know  to  the  contrary  ;  and  I  cannot  discover  by 
what  authority  your  church,  or  any  church,  has  to  pro- 
nounce, or  declare,  dogmatically,  that  any  individual  is 
in  glory.  "  Judge  not  before  the  time,"  St.  Paul  says, 
1  Cor.  iv.  5,  "  until  the  Lord  come,  who  both  will  bring 
to  light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will  manifest 
the  counsels  of  the  hearts — and  then  shall  every  man 
have  praise  of  God."  We  may  bclierc,  that  our  friends 
who  have  departed  in  the  faith  of  Jesus,  are  in  peace, 
and  heirs  of  glory.  But  that  is  quite  another  matter 
from  the  right  which  your  church  has  usurped  of  "  can- 
onizing," as  she  terms  it,  any  persons  she  assumes  are 
deserving  of  such  an  honor  ;  several  of  her  canonized 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  115 

saints  have  been  of  very  questionable  characters ;  and  of 
supposing  that  the  pope's  decree  alone  is  sufficient  to 
warrant  the  title  of  saint  being-  prefixed  to  their  names. 

Your  church  assumes  for  her  popes  the  power  of 
granting  admission  to  Christ's  glorious  kingdom  to  those 
he  approves  of;  but  our  Lord  himself  tells  you  he  has 
delegated  that  power  to  no  person.  "  I  am,"  said  our 
Lord,  "  the  first  and  the  last,  and  am  alive,  and  was 
dead  ;  and  behold  I  am  living  forever  and  ever,  and 
have  the  keys  of  death  and  of  hell,"  Rev.  i.  17,  18.  He 
here  says  he  retains  them  in  his  own  possession.  He 
gave  St.  Peter  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven — 
that  is,  the  privilege,  as  we  before  stated,  of  preaching 
the  Gospel,  the  entrance  to  Christ's  church  upon  earth, 
first  to  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  but  of  death  or  hell,  of 
man's  future  state  after  this  life,  he  reserves  all  in  his 
own  power.  And  in  the  third  chapter,  v.  7,  Rev.,  we 
read  thus  : — "  Saith  the  Holy  One,  and  the  true  One  : 
he  that  hath  the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth  and  no 
man  shutteth,  shutteth  and  no  man  openeth."  Can  any 
declaration  be  plainer  to  show  that  your  popes  have 
usurped  a  power  which  Jesus,  the  great  shepherd  of 
souls,  reserves  to  himself,  and  communicates  to  no  man 
— mark  the  expression  "  man"  in  the  above  passage. 
"  The  words,"  saith  our  Lord,  "  which  I  have  spoken, 
the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day,"  John  xii.  48. 
How  can  your  church  answer  this  1 

The  concluding  part  of  this  prayer  is  only  remarka- 
ble for  the  numerous  crossings  and  genuflexions  used  ; 
but  when  your  church  appointed  all  these  crossings  and 
blessings  of  the  consecrated  host  and  chalice,  she 
never  could  have  believed  them  to  be  the  very  body  and 
blood  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus,  as  requiring  any 
of  these  forms  you  call  means  of  grace  or  blessings. 
Thus  an  unobjectionable  prayer  is  corrupted  by  these 
unscriptural  and  absurd  forms,  opposed  by  common 
sense  to  your  own  professed  principles. 

R. — Jungit  manus.     Oremus. 

T. — He  joins  his  hands  together,  and  says — Let  us 
pray: 


116  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Praeceptis  salutaribus  moniti,  et  divinae  institutione 
formati,  audemus  (extendet  manus)  dicere. 

T. — Instructed  by  wholesome  precepts,  and  taught  by- 
divine  appointment,  we  presume  (he  extends  his  hands) 
to  say — 

Pater  noster,  qui  es  in  ccelis,  sanctificetur  nomen 
tuum,  adveniat  regnum  tuum,  fiat  voluntas  tua,  sicut  in 
coelo  et  in  terra ;  panem  nostrum  quotidianum  da  nobis 
hodie,  et  dimitte  nobis  debita  nostra,  sicut  et  nos  dimit- 
timus  debitoribus  nostris ;  et  ne  nos  inducas  in  tenta- 
tionem.     R.  Sed  libera  nos  a  malo.     P.  Amen. 

T. — Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be 
thy  name,  thy  kingdom  come,  thy  will  be  done  as  in 
heaven,  so  in  earth.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread  ; 
and  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  And 
lead  us  not  into  temptation.  Response. — But  deliver 
us  from  evil. 

R. — Sacerdos  secrete  dicit — Amen. 
T. — The  priest  secretly  says — Amen. 

Mark  the  simplicity  and  clearness  of  this  prayer, 
taught  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  his  disciples.  In 
this  prayer  we  find  no  address  to  angels  for  their  inter- 
cession, or  to  ox  for  departed  souls  of  the  faithful.  No 
crossings,  or  other  superstitious  practices.  We  are 
thus  instructed  to  go  at  once  to  God,  the  Father  of  Je- 
sus, our  Saviour,  and  thus  the  reconciled  Father  and 
parent  of  all  who  trust  in  him. 

R. — Deinde  accipit  patenam  inter  indicem  et  medium 
digitos  et  dicit. 

T. — He  then  takes  the  paten  between  his  fore  and 
middle  fingers,  and  says — 

Libera  nos,  quaesumus,  Domine,  ab  omnibus  malis 
praeteritis,  praesentibus,  et  futuris,  et  intercedente  beata 
et  gloriosa  semper  virgine,  Dei  genitrice  Maria,  cum 
beatis  apostolis  tuis  Petro  et  Paulo,  atque  Andrea,  et 
omnibus  Sanctis,  (signat  se  cum  patena  a  fronte  ad  pec- 
tus earn  osculatur,)  da  propitius  pacem  in  diebus  nostris, 
ut  ope  misericordisfi  tua?  adjuti,  et  a  peccato  simus  sem- 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  117 

per  liberi  et  ab  omni  perturbatione  securi,  {submittit 
patenam  hosticz  discooperit  calicem  genufiectit  surgit, 
accipit  hostiam,  frangit  earn  super  calicem  per  medium 
dicens.)  Per  eundern  Dominum  nostrum  Jesum  Christ- 
um Filium  tuum,  {partem  quce  in  dextera  est  ponit  su- 
per patenam,  deinde  ex  parte,  quce  in  sinistra  remansit, 
frangit  particulum  dicens,)  qui  tecum  vivit  et  regnat 
in  unitate  Spiritus  Sancti  Deus,  {aliam  mediam  partem 
cum  ipsa  sinistra  ponit  super  patenam,  et  dextera,  te- 
nens  particulam  super  calice,  sinistra  calicem  dicit,) 
per  omnia  saecula  sseculorum.     R. — Amen. 

T. — Deliver  us,  O  Lord,  from  all  evils,  past,  present, 
and  to  come ;  and  by  the  intercession  of  the  blessed 
and  glorious  Mary,  ever  a  Virgin,  the  Mother  of  God, 
and  by  that  of  thy  blessed  Apostles,  Peter  and  Paul, 
and  Andrew,  and  all  the  saints,  {he  here  makes  the  sign 
of  the  cross  with  the  paten  from  his  forehead  to  his 
breast,  and  kisses  it,)  mercifully  grant  us  peace  in  our 
days,  that  being  assisted  by  the  help  of  thy  compassion, 
we  may  be  always  free  from  sin,  and  secure  from  all 
trouble,  {he  places  the  paten  under  the  host,  he  uncov- 
ers the  chalice,  kneels  down,  rises  up,  takes  the  host, 
breaks  it  over  the  chalice  in  the  middle,  saying,)  through 
the  same  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  thy  Son,  {he  places 
the  part  which  is  in  his  right  hand  upon  the  paten,  then 
of  that  which  remains  in  his  left  he  breaks  off  a  small 
piece,  saying,)  who  liveth  and  reigneth  with  thee,  O 
God,  in  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  {the  other  half  he  place* 
with  his  left  hand  upon  the  paten,  and  holding  with  his 
right  the  small  piece  over  the  chalice,  and  holding  the 
chalice  in  his  left  hand,  says,)  for  ever  and  ever.  (An- 
swer) Amen. 

This  prayer  assumes  a  new  feature  respecting  the 
intercession  of  saints ;  hitherto  you  have  been  only  ad- 
dressing the  saints,  to  plead  for  you  with  God.  You 
have  been  claiming  pardon  through  their  merits ;  both 
which  practices,  we  trust,  we  have  fully  shown  to  be 
unwarranted  by  the  word  of  God,  and  contrary  to  prim- 
itive usage.  But  here  your  Church  introduces  a  va- 
riety in  the  system  ;  and  you  are  instructed  to  call  upon 


118  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

God  to  grant  your  petition,  for  deliverance  from  all 
evils,  past,  present,  and  future,  which  includes  every 
possible  case,  by  the  intercession  of  the  Virgin,  and  the 
Apostles  and  the  saints.  What  has  become,  brethren, 
of  the  office  of  Jesus !  You  have  acknowledged  him 
to  be  your  intercessor,  and  here  you  seem  to  forget 
such  to  be  the  case ;  and  your  Church  blasphemously 
introduces  others,  his  servants,  into  that  very  office,  to 
fulfil  which  was  one  of  the  purposes  for  which  he  came 
into  the  world.  Can  you  possibly  suppose  that  God 
will  listen  with  favor  to  such  a  prayer  1  From  one  end 
to  the  other  of  Holy  Scripture  you  will  search  in  vain 
for  a  precedent — antiquity  has  nothing  like  it.  But  it 
has  remained  for  your  Church  to  address  the  King  of 
kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  in  language  totally  opposed 
to  that  Gospel,  which  declares,  in  the  passage  quoted 
before,  "  that  there  is  only  one  mediator  between  God 
and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,"  1  Tim.  ii.  5.  You 
have  been  acknowledging  in  the  prayer  just  preceding, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  he,  through  whom  God 
gives  us  all  things ;  and  here  you  introduce  a  petition 
as  if  what  you  had  before  stated,  you  did  not  believe, 
but  required  additional  intercessors  to  plead  your  cause 
with  God ;  although  Jesus  himself  has  told  you  that 
"  whatsoever  you  ask  the  Father  in  his  name,  that,"  he 
says,  "  I  will  do ;  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in 
the  Son,"  John  xiv.  IS — not  in  those  intercessors  whom 
•your  Church  so  vainly  puts  forward.  Can  any  thing 
be  more  condemnatory  of  your  practice  1  And  then 
again  at  the  conclusion,  you  say — through  Jesus  Christ, 
our  Lord,  that  this  is  to  be  done.  What  is  the  mean- 
ing of  this  ?  How  is  it  to  be  reconciled  with  what  goes 
before  ?  If  you  profess  to  believe  that  Jesus  is  to  in- 
tercede, why,  unless  you  think  him  to  be  insufficient, 
make  use  of  the  others  1 

While  this  prayer  is  saying,  your  priest  is  doing 
what  seems  most  strange  upon  Roman  Catholic  princi- 
ples. He  takes  up  the  host  and  breaks  it  in  the  middle 
over  the  chalice,  and  then  he  breaks  off  a  piece  from 
that  in  his  left  hand ;  and  thus  the  host  is  divided  into 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       119 

three  pieces.  Now,  here  again,  your  Church  departs 
from  what  our  Lord  did,  as  you  yourselves  admit.  Our 
Lord  took  the  bread,  and  blessed  and  brake  it,  and  gave 
it  to  his  disciples,  saying,  "  Take  and  eat  of  this,  (all 
of  you,  as  you  falsely  assert,)  for  this  is  my  body." 
Here  we  find  that  he  broke  the  bread  before  the  conse- 
cration ;  but  see  what  you  do,  after  your  Church  has 
taught  you  to  believe  that  it  has  become  the  very  body 
of  our  Lord — and  in  consistence  with  that  belief,  has 
taught  you  to  worship  or  adore  it,  your  priest  then 
takes  it  in  his  hands,  that  is,  the  body  of  our  Lord,  and 
breaks  it  into  three  pieces.  Does  each  of  these  pieces 
become  an  entire  body ! — for,  if  so,  the  body  of  our 
Lord  is  not  broken  at  all ;  and,  therefore,  you  cannot 
do  what  our  Lord  did ;  or,  if  it  is  broken  into  pieces, 
how  much  of  his  body  goes  to  one  part,  how  much  to 
another  1  You  observe  to  what  absurdities  your  Church 
leads  you.  It  is  plain  that  if  each  particle  becomes  the 
entire  body,  that  you  practise  a  most  unmeaning  form, 
as  it  can  never  be  broken,  for  upon  each  division  a  new 
entire  body  is  produced  or  formed.  But  the  truth  is, 
we  have  here  another  proof,  that  many  of  the  forms 
and  ceremonies  of  the  Mass  preceded  certain  doctrines 
which  your  Church  now  professes  to  enforce.  The 
breaking  of  the  host,  or  bread,  certainly  preceded  the 
belief  in  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation ;  for  you 
never  could  think  of  breaking  the  host  into  pieces — for 
by  so  doing,  when  you  believe  it  to  be  the  actual  and 
very  body  of  our  Lord,  you  become  involved  in  blas- 
phemous absurdities,  as  we  have  shown  above. 

R. — Cum  ipsa  particula  signat  ter  super  calicem,  di- 
cens. 

T. — With  this  very  particle  of  the  host  he  makes  the 
sign  of  the  cross  over  the  chalice,  saying — 

Pax  »I«  Domini,  sit  •£■  semper  vobis  •£*  cum.  Res. — 
Et  cum  spiritu  tuo. 

T. — May  the  peace  *f«  of  the  Lord  be  *i>  always  with 
•£■  you.     Res. — And  with  thy  Spirit. 

Here,  again,  is  a  strange  inconsistency — the  priest 


120  THE    MASS   AND    RUBRICS 

holds  a  particle  of  the  host  in  his  hand ;  this  you  have 
worshipped,  as  believing  it  to  be  the  body  and  blood  of 
our  Lord,  and  of  course,  as  we  before  remarked,  this 
particle  must  be  either  the  entire  body  of  our  Lord,  or  a 
part.  This  latter  the  word  "  particle,"  used  in  your  rubric, 
would  seem  to  imply  ;  and  although  you  have  professed 
to  believe  one  or  other  of  these  two  doctrines,  still  you 
take  up  the  body  of  our  Lord  and  make  with  it  the  sign 
of  the  cross  over  the  chalice.  Surely,  when  this  cere- 
mony was  commanded,  such  a  belief  could  not  have  ex- 
isted. I  cannot  understand  how  you  can  make  the  sign 
of  the  cross  with  the  body  of  Jesus  ;  it  seems  so  utterly 
absurd — so  openly  profane,  to  prefer  in  one  sense  the 
sign  to  the  thing  signified,  that  I  am  at  a  loss  in  what 
terms  to  censure  it.  You  must  have  unlimited  confi- 
dence in  your  infallible  Church,  to  believe  that  such  a 
practice  should  be  tolerated  for  a  moment. 

R. — Particulam  ipsam,  immittit  in  calicem  dicens  se- 
crete. 

T. — He  casts  the  same  particle  into  the  chalice,  say- 
ing, secretly — 

Haec  commixtio  et  consecratio  corporis  et  sanguinis 
Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi,  fiat  accipientibus  nobis  in 
vitam  aeternam.     Amen. 

T. — May  this  mingling  together,  and  the  consecra- 
tion of  the  body  and  the  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
become,  to  us  who  receive  them,  profitable  to  eternal 
life. 

Here  you  have  another  gross  inconsistency  between 
your  doctrine  and  practice.  We  have  already  seen  that 
your  Church  teaches  that  both  body  and  blood  are  con- 
tained under  either  species  ;  and  yet  here,  in  opposition 
to  that  tenet,  you  mix  them,  you  join  and  unite  them, 
by  putting  the  broken  wafer  or  host  into  the  wine. 
Now,  surely,  when  your  church  commanded  that  ming- 
ling together  to  be  used — the  other  doctrine  could  not 
have  been  entertained — she  must  have  believed  that  the 
bread  alone  was  the  body,  or  represented  the  body — and 
the  wine  only  was  the  blood,  or  represented  the  blood. 


OP  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       121 

I  really  cannot  understand  what  you  are  to  call  the 
mixed  host  and  wine.  What  does  it  become  1  Is  not 
the  body  and  blood,  in  your  view,  already  united  ?  Ex- 
ercise your  own  reason,  and  surely  you  must  admit  the 
lamentable  confusion  that  is  thus  made  in  the  most  sa- 
cred matters. 

R. — Cooperit  calicem,  genuflectit  surgit,  et  inclina- 
tus  Sacramento  junctis  manibus  et  ter  pectus  pecutiens 
dicit — Agnus  Dei,  qui  tollis  peccata  mundi,  miserere 
nobis ;  Agnus  Dei,  qui  tollis  peccata  mundi,  miserere 
nobis  ;  Agnus  Dei,  qui  tollis  peccata  mundi,  dona  nobis 
pacem. 

T. — He  covers  the  chalice,  he  kneels  down,  rises  up, 
and  bowing  towards  the  sacrament  with  joined  hands, 
and  striking  his  breast  three  times,  says — Lamb  of  God, 
who  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  have  mercy  upon 
us ;  Lamb  of  God,  who  takest  away  the  sins  of  the 
world,  have  mercy  upon  us ;  Lamb  of  God,  who  takest 
away  the  sins  of  the  wrorld,  grant  us  peace. 

Here  again  we  must  remark  upon  the  multiplied 
forms  used  by  your  church.  Do  you  not  think  that  the 
prayer  of  your  priest  to  the  Saviour,  if  offered  from  a 
sincere  heart,  will  be  as  efficacious  without,  as  if  accom- 
panied by  the  form  of  beating  his  breast  three  times  \ 
We  hear  of  no  such  instruction  given  in  God's  word,  as 
to  this  accompaniment  of  prayer.  However,  we  find 
your  priest  goes  here  at  once  to  the  Saviour.  Why 
does  he  not  practise  this  always  ?  Why  does  your 
Church  at  one  time  teach  the  necessity  of  additional 
mediators  and  intercessors,  and  here  address  the  Lord 
Jesus  as  if  he  were,  as,  in  truth,  he  is,  the  only  refuge 
for  sinners  ?  "  The  Lamb  of  God,"  as  John  the  Bap- 
tist calls  him,  John  i.  29,  "  who  taketh  away  the  sins 
of  the  world." 

R. — Tn  missis  pro  defunctis,  non  dicitur  "  Miserere 
nobis,"  sed  ejus  loco  "  dona  eis  requiem,"  et  in  tertio 
additur  "  sempiternam."  Deinde  junctis  manibus  super 
altare  inclinatus  dicit  sequentes  orationes. 

T. — In  Masses  for  the  dead,  "  Have  mercy  upon  us," 
11 


122  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

is  not  said,  but  "  give  them  (the  dead)  rest,'1  in  place  of 
it;  and  the  word  "everlasting"  is  added  in  the  third 
place.  Then  with  joined  hands  and  bending  over  the 
altar,  he  says  the  following  prayers  : — 

R. — Domine  Jesu  Christe,  qui  dixisti  apostolis  tuis, 
pacem  relinquo  vobis,  pacem  meam  do  vobis,  ne  res- 
picias  peccata  mea,  sed  fidem  ecclesiae  tuae,  eamque 
secundum  voluntatem  tuam  pacificare  et  coadunare  dig- 
neris  ;  qui  vivis  et  regnas  Deus,  per  omnia  saecula  saecu- 
lorum.     Amen. 

T. — 0  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  saidst  unto  thine  apos- 
tles— peace  I  leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you, 
look  not  upon  my  sins,  but  upon  the  faith  of  thy  church, 
and  vouchsafe,  according  to  thy  will,  to  grant  it  peace 
and  union — who  livest  and  reignest,  God,  world  without 
end.     Amen. 

When  your  Roman  church  is  offering  up  this  prayer, 
ought  she  not  to  have  serious  apprehensions  as  to  the 
view  which  our  Lord  will  take  of  those  various  novel- 
ties and  inconsistencies  which  she  has  introduced  into 
her  public  formularies,  directly  opposed  to  his  own  ex- 
press words — by  which  the  Christian  world  is  now  so 
sadly  divided  and  distracted  1 

R. — Si  danda  est  pax,  osculatur  altare  et  dans  pacem 
dicit.     Pax  tecum.     Res. — Et  cum  spiritu  tuo. 

T. — If  the  peace  is  to  be  given,  he  kisses  the  altar, 
and  giving  the  peace,  he  says — Peace  be  with  you. 
R. — And  with  thy  spirit. 

R. — In  missis  defunctorum,  non  datur  pax  neque  di- 
citur  prsscedens  oratio. 

T. — In  Masses  for  the  dead,  the  peace  is  not  given  ; 
neither  is  the  preceding  prayer  said. 

Domine  Jesu  Christe,  Fili  Dei  vivi,  qui  ex  voluntate 
Patris,  co-operante  Spiritu  Sancto,  per  mortem  tuam 
mundum  vivificasti,  libera  me  per  hoc  sacro-sanctum 
corpus  et  sanguinem  tuum  ab  omnibus  iniquitatibus  meis 
et  universis  malis  ;  et  fac  me  tuis  semper  inhaerere  man- 
datis,  et  a  te  nunquam  separari  permittas ;  qui  cum  eo- 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  123 

dem  Deo  Patre,  et  Spiritu  Sancto  vivis  et  regnas,  Deus, 
in  saecuJa  saeculorum.     Amen. 

T. — 0  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God, 
who,  by  the  will  of  the  Father,  the  Holy  Spirit  co-ope- 
rating, through  thy  death  hast  given  life  unto  the  world 
— by  this  sacred  body,  and  by  thy  blood,  free  me  from 
all  mine  iniquities,  and  from  all  evils,  and  make  me  al- 
ways to  remain  in  thy  commandments,  and  suffer  me 
never  to  be  separated  from  thee — who  with  the  same 
God  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  livest  and  reign- 
est,  God,  world  without  end.     Amen. 

Is  it  not  here  most  inconsistent  for  your  priest  to  pray 
to  our  Lord  to  be  kept  always  in  obedience  to  his  com- 
mandments, when  he  submits  to  the  laws  of  his  church, 
which,  he  must  perceive  and  know,  are  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  those  commands  1 

Perceptio  corporis  tui,  Domine  Jesu  Christe,  quod 
ego  indignus  sumere  preesumo,  non  mihi  proveniat  in 
judicium  et  condemnationem  ;  sed  pro  tua  pietate  prosit 
mihi  ad  tutamentum  mentis  et  corporis,  et  ad  medelam 
percipiendam ;  qui  vivis  et  regnas  cum  Deo  Patre,  in 
unitate  Spiritus  Sancti,  Deus,  per  omnia  sascula  saeculo- 
rum.    Amen. 

T. — Let  not  the  participation  of  thy  body,  O  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  which  I  unworthy  presume  to  take,  be 
turned  to  my  judgment  and  condemnation  ;  but,  accord- 
ing to  thy  mercy,  may  it  be  profitable  to  the  safety  and 
healing  of  my  mind  and  body — who  livest  and  reignest 
with  God  the  Father,  in  the  unity  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
one  God,  world  without  end.     Amen. 

I  must  again  direct  your  attention  to  the  entire  ab- 
sence of  any  prayer  to  saints  and  angels  for  their  inter- 
cession :  your  priest  goes  at  once  to  the  Lord  Jesus. 
I  must,  however,  remark  upon  the  unmeaning  petition 
which  he  offers  up,  that  he  may  be  freed  from  all  iniqui- 
ties and  evils,  by  means  of  that  consecrated  host,  and 
what  you  call  the  blood  of  our  Lord.  Why  address  such 
a  petition  1  The  body  of  Jesus,  as  we  have  seen  from 
Scripture,  is  now  at  the  right  hand  of  God — that  you 


124  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

are  sure  of,  and  admit.  Why  not  allude  to  that  living 
Saviour  who  animates  that  body,  and  who  is  making  in- 
tercession for  his  people  1  He  tells  you  himself,  John 
vi.  64,  "  it  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth  ;  the  flesh  profit  - 
eth  nothing."  Even  supposing  that  the  bread  and  the 
wine  were  transubstantiated  into  the  body  and  blood  of 
our  Lord — still  it  is  by  the  living  Saviour,  risen  from  the 
dead,  that  you  have  access  to  God ;  and  it  is  by  him, 
and  through  him  only,  you  are  to  approach  the  throne 
of  grace,  and  be  favorably  received. 

R. — Genuflectit  surgit  et  dicit. 

T. — He  kneels  down,  rises  up,  and  says — 

Why  does  the  priest  here  kneel  down  without  saying 
any  thing,  and  then  rise  up  1  Can  any  thing  be  more 
senseless  and  unmeaning  1 

Panem  ccelestem  accipiam,  et  nomen  Domini  invocabo. 
T. — I  will  take  the  heavenly  bread,  and  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord. 

R. — Deinde  parum  inclinatus  ambas  partes  hostiae, 
inter  pollicem  et  indicem  sinistra?  manus,  et  patenam 
inter  eundem  indicem  et  medium,  et  dextera  percutiens 
pectus  elevata  aliquantulum  voce,  dicit  ter  devote  et 
humiliter — Domine,  non  sum  dignus  ut  intres  sub  tectum 
meum  :  sed  tantum  die  verbo  et  sanabitur  anima  mea. 

T. — Then  bending  down  a  little,  he  takes  both  parts 
of  the  host  between  the  thumb  and  fore  finger  of  his  left 
hand,  and  the  paten  between  the  same  fore  finger  and 
the  middle  finger  ;  and  striking  his  breast  with  his  right 
hand,  and  raising  his  voice  a  little,  he  says  three  times 
with  devotion  and  humility — Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that 
thou  shouldst  enter  under  the  roof  of  my  house,  but 
speak  the  word  only,  and  my  soul  shall  be  healed. 

R. — Postea  dextera  se  signans  cum  hostia  super  pa- 
tenam dicit. 

T. — After  this,  signing  himself  with  the  sign  of  the 
cross  with  his  right  hand,  and  with  the  host  upon  the 
paten,  he  says — 


OF    THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  125 

Corpus  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  custodiat  animam 
meam  in  vitam  seternam.     Amen. 

T. — May  the  body  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  preserve 
my  soul  unto  everlasting  life.     Amen. 

R. — Sumit  reverenter  ambas  partes  hostiae,  jungit 
manus  et  quiescit  aliquantulum  in  meditatione  sanctissi- 
mi  sacramenti.  Deinde  discooperit  calicem,  genuflectit 
colligit  fragmenta,  si  quae  sint,  extergit  patenam,  super 
calicem  interim  dicens. 

T. — He  takes  with  reverence  both  parts  of  the  host, 
he  joins  his  hands  and  remains  quiet  for  a  short  time  in 
meditation  of  the  most  blessed  sacrament ;  then  he  un- 
covers the  chalice,  kneels  down,  collects  the  fragments, 
if  there  are  any,  wipes  the  paten  over  the  chalice,  in 
the  mean  while  saying — 

We  cannot  refrain  from  inquiring  here,  what  are 
those  fragments  which  the  priest  gathers  up  ]  Are 
they  parts  of  the  body  of  our  Lord  1  or  are  they,  each 
of  them,  the  entire  body  ?  If  so,  in  what  an  extraor- 
dinary position  does  this  rubric  place  the  doctrines  of 
your  church — the  collecting  a  number  of  bodies  of  our 
Lord  together.  Be  assured,  when  this  rubric  was  ap- 
pointed, the  absurd  and  blasphemous  tenets  of  transub- 
stantiation  were  unknown.  And  a  farther  proof  that 
this  doctrine  was  unknown  when  these  prayers  were 
introduced  into  the  canon  of  the  Mass,  is  evident  from 
the  priest  calling  the  host  "  heavenly  bread."  Now 
our  blessed  Lord  says  that  "  he  is  the  bread  that  came 
down  from  heaven,"  John  vi.  33,  35  ;  consequently,  the 
heavenly  bread  cannot  be  his  carnal  body  which  he  re- 
ceived of  the  blessed  Virgin,  but  that  spiritual  food  of 
which  he  speaks  when  he  says — "  he  that  cometh  to  me, 
shall  not  hunger  ;  and  he  that  believeth  in  me,  shall  not 
thirst" — showing  that  it  is  by  faith  we  are  said  to  feed 
upon  him.  "  My  meat,"  saith  our  Lord,  John  iv.  34, 
"  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  "  Not  by 
bread  alone,"  saith  our  Lord  in  another  place,  Matt.  iv. 
4,  "  doth  man  live,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth 
out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  Another  instance  to  show 
11* 


126  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

how  our  Lord  makes  use  of  the  expression  of  "  drink- 
ing"— to  describe  the  spiritual  refreshment  of  the  soul. 
We  find,  John  iv.  13 — "  he  that  shall  drink  of  the  wa- 
ter I  shall  give  him,  shall  not  thirst  for  ever."  Again, 
he  says,  Matt.  v.  6 — "  Blessed  are  they  that  hunger 
and  thirst  after  justice,  for  they  shall  have  their  fill." 
These  passages  show  how  entirely  your  church  mis- 
represents our  blessed  Lord's  meaning,  when  he  speaks 
of  eating  and  drinking  ;  and  to  what  wretched  absurdi- 
ties and  contradictions  you  are  driven  by  the  novel  doc- 
trine of  transubstantiation,  invented  only  to  increase 
the  power  and  authority  of  your  Church. 

Quid  retribuam  Domino  pro  omnibus  quae  retribuit 
mihi  1  Calicem  salutaris  accipiam,  et  nomen  Domini 
invocabo.  Laudans  invocabo  Dominum,  et  ab  inimicis 
meis  salvus  ero. 

T. — What  return  shall  I  make  unto  the  Lord  for  all 
he  has  bestowed  upon  me  1  I  will  receive  the  cup  of 
salvation,  and  will  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
Praising  him,  I  will  invoke  the  Lord,  and  I  will  be  safe 
from  mine  enemies. 

R. — Accipit  calicem  manu  dextera  et  eo  se  signus 
dicit. 

T. — He  takes  the  chalice  in  his  right  hand,  and  sign- 
ing himself  with  it  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  says — 

Sanguis  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  custodiat  animam 
meara  in  vitara  aeternam.     Amen. 

T. — May  the  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  pre- 
serve my  soul  unto  everlasting  life.     Amen. 

R. — Sumit  totum  sanguinem  cum  particula.  Quo 
sumpto  si  qui  sunt  communicandi  eos  communicet. 
Postea  dicit.  Quod  ore  sumpsimus,  Domine,  pura 
mente  capiamus,  ut  de  munere  temporali  fiat  nobis  re- 
medium  sumpsiternam. 

T. — He  takes  the  whole  blood  with  the  particle, 
(which  was  mixed  with  it  before,)  which,  being  taken 
or  drunk,  if  there  are  any  persons  to  receive  the  com- 
munion, let  him  communicate  to  them.     After  that  he 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       127 

says,  "  What  we  have  taken  with  the  mouth,  may  we 
receive  with  a  pure  mind,  and  of  a  temporal  gift,  may 
it  become  an  eternal  medicine  to  us." 

Here,  again,  we  have  the  wine  distinctly  spoken  of, 
as  the  blood  of  our  Lord  ;  and  we  would  here  propose 
a  similar  question  to  that  proposed  before — What  is 
that  particle  which  is  mixed  with  the  blood  ?  Is  it  our 
Lord's  body,  or  part  of  his  body  1  And  the  idea  of  his 
body,  or  part  of  his  body,  being  floating  in  his  blood,  is 
such  a  gross,  unscriptural  thought,  that  we  really  are 
at  a  loss  to  know  how  such  a  supposition  could  be  en- 
tertained for  a  moment  by  any  reasonable  persons. 

You  only  receive  the  wafer,  or,  as  you  suppose,  the 
body  of  our  Lord.  If  that  be  sufficient  for  you,  why 
not  for  the  priest !  Why  are  all  those  forms  of  conse- 
cration of  the  wine  made  use  of,  unless  in  compliance, 
as  you  teach,  with  the  command  of  our  Lord.  Surely, 
upon  the  same  principle,  then,  you  have  no  excuse  for 
withholding  the  chalice  or  wine  from  the  people  who 
communicate,  and  commanding  the  priest  to  drink  the 
entire  himself.  Antiquity,  and  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
the  word  of  our  Lord  himself,  condemn  your  present 
practice. 

R. — Interim  porrigit  calicem  ministro  qui  infundit  in 
eo,  parum  vini,  quo  se  purificat  deinde  prosequitur. 

T. — In  the  mean  while,  he  holds  forth  the  chalice  to 
the  attendant,  who  pours  into  it  a  little  wine,  with  which 
he  purifies  himself.     He  then  proceeds  : 

What  is  the  meaning  here  of  his  pouring  into  the 
chalice  a  little  wine,  and  purifying  himself  with  it ! 
How  can  a  person  be  purified  with  wine  "?  Besides, 
upon  your  own  principles,  this  must  be  quite  unneces- 
sary. Remember  all  the  times  the  priest  has  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross  upon  himself  up  to  this  part  of  the 
Mass  ;  and  surely  if  there  be  any  virtue  in  "  crossings," 
the  Powers  of  darkness  must  have  been  completely 
driven  away  long  before.  Consider,  also,  the  holy  wa- 
ter which  he  has  cast  upon  himself — the  incense  which 
has   been   used  to  purify   him.     The  blessed  candles 


128  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

which  are  lighted  also,  and  which  your  church  teaches 
are  endued  with  many  great  virtues.  Take  all  these 
holy  ceremonies  together,  and  surely  you  must  admit  it 
to  be  very  strange,  and  inconsistent,  to  say  that  purifi- 
cation is  still  necessary.  But  again,  perhaps  the  object 
of  this  purification,  by  the  wine  being  poured  into  the 
chalice,  and  upon  his  fingers  in  which  he  has  held  the 
consecrated  host,  is  to  wash  away  all  the  particles  or 
crumbs  which  may  adhere  to  his  fingers.  Could  this 
rubric  have  been  made  if  the  belief  in  the  wafer  or  bread 
being  the  real  body  of  our  Lord  prevailed,  could  it  be 
taught  that  washing  away  so  many  bodies  of  our  Lord — 
for  your  church,  in  her  infallible  wisdom,  teaches  that 
each  crumb  is  a  separate  and  distinct  body — can  be  a 
cleansing  or  a  purification  1  Surely  such  an  expression 
would  never  have  been  used,  for  there  can  be  no  defile- 
ment in  the  touch  of  the  body  of  our  Lord.  The  truth 
is,  this  furnishes  us  with  an  additional  proof  of  the  nov- 
elty of  many  of  the  doctrines  of  your  Mass  ;  and  of  the 
inconsistency  of  one  part  with  the  other. 

Corpus  tuum,  Domine,  quod  sumpsi,  et  sanguis  quern 
potavi,  adhaereat  visceribus  meis,  et  praesta  ut  in  me  non 
remaneat  scelerum  macula,  quern  pura  et  sancta  refece- 
runt  sacramenta.  Qui  vivis  et  regnas  in  saecula  saecu- 
lorum.     Amen. 

T. — May  thy  body,  O  Lord,  which  I  have  taken,  and 
thy  blood  which  I  have  drunk,  adhere  to  my  bowels ; 
and  grant,  that  there  may  not  remain  a  spot  of  wicked- 
ness in  me,  whom  thy  pure  and  holy  sacraments  have 
refreshed  ;  who  livest  and  reignest  forever  and  ever. 
Amen. 

Here  we  find  the  distinction  between  the  body  and 
blood  of  our  Lord  still  kept  up ;  but  how  to  explain  the 
prayer  that  that  body  and  blood  may  adhere  or  cling  to 
the  bowels  of  the  priest,  I  confess  is  beyond  my  power 
— even  upon  Roman  Catholic  grounds.  What,  brethren, 
is  it  for  a  moment  to  be  supposed  that  this  is  possible  ? 
I  cannot  dwell  upon  all  the  blasphemous  consequences 
to  which  such  a  monstrous  tenet  must  give  rise ;  nor 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  129 

can  you  avoid  those  consequences,  unless  you  totally 
reject,  as  the  Word  of  God  expressly  teaches  you  to  do, 
all  carnal  notions  respecting  the  presence  of  our  Lord 
in  the  Holy  Sacrament. 

There  is  a  very  remarkable  circumstance  recorded  in 
the  word  of  God,  Exod.  xxxii.  20.  When  Moses  went 
up  to  the  mount  of  God  to  receive  the  law,  during  his 
absence,  which  continued  for  forty  days,  the  people  be- 
came impatient,  and  not  expecting  him  to  return  to  them 
any  more,  persuaded  Aaron,  the  brother  of  Moses,  to 
make  a  golden  calf,  similar  to  what  they  had  witnessed 
in  Egypt ;  and  this  golden  calf  was  to  be  the  represent- 
ative of  that  God  who  had  brought  them  out  of  Egypt. 
Mark  this  well,  brethren ;  we  are  not  informed  by 
Moses  that  the  children  of  Israel  worshipped  the  golden 
calf — as  supposing  that  there  was  any  peculiar  virtue  or 
power  contained  in  it — on  the  contrary,  they  worshipped 
it  only  as  a  personification  of  the  Deity  of  God  the 
Creator.  They  said,  "  These  be  thy  Gods,  O  Israel, 
Avhich  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  And 
Aaron  made  proclamation  and  said,  To-morrow  is  a  feast 
to  the  Lord — thus  showing  that  it  was  God,  the  Lord 
Jehovah,  whom  they  wished  to  worship  under  this  rep- 
resentation. We  find  St.  Stephen,  (Acts  vii.  41.)  when 
alluding  to  this  circumstance  of  their  idolatry,  express- 
ing himself  thus  : — "  And  they  made  a  calf  in  those 
days,  and  offered  sacrifice  to  the  idol,  and  rejoiced  in 
the  work  of  their  own  hands.'1  Now  see,  is  not  this 
applicable  to  you  1  You  make  images,  the  personifica- 
tion of  those  whose  name  they  bear — you  bow  down 
before  them,  and  adore  them  in  open  violation  of  God's 
expressed  prohibition,  in  the  first  or  second  command- 
ment, (Exodus  xxiv.  2-5  ;)  and  to  sum  up  all  your 
monstrous  disobedience  to  the  plain  teaching  of  God's 
inspired  apostles,  you  make  a  cake  or  wafer,  your 
church  say  some  Latin  prayers  over  it,  and  then^rou 
are  called  upon  to  worship  it  as  God,  and  you  do  wor- 
ship it. 

See  how  the  children  of  Israel  were  punished — and 
see  how  the  senselessness  of  their  conduct  was  shown. 


130  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

While  in  the  very  act  of  their  idolatrous  worship  of  this 
calf,  the  representative  of  God — Moses  (who  had  been 
previously  informed  by  God  himself  of  their  wickedness) 
returned,  and  broke  the  calf  in  pieces,  and  burnt  it,  and 
ground  it  to  powder,  strewed  it  upon  water,  and  made 
the  people  drink  it.  Why  was  this  done  1  And  why  is 
it  recorded  in  the  Book  of  God,  but  to  teach  us  all  the 
folly  of  worshipping  any  thing  we  can  drink  or  eat  ? 
Apply  this  to  your  own  practice — you  worship  the  blood 
of  Christ — you  worship  the  body  of  Christ — and  you 
think  you  eat  and  drink  them  ;  thus  you  think  you  are 
doing  that  very  act  which  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  above 
passage,  declares  is  a  proof  that  such  are  not  proper 
objects  for  worship  at  all.  Surely,. we  never  should 
have  thought  of  worshipping  the  dead  body  of  our  Lord, 
when  it  was  taken  down  from  the  cross.  His  disciples 
never  attempted  such  a  thing  until  they  beheld  that  body 
again  reanimated  and  filled  with  the  Divinity.  God  is 
a  spirit,  saith  our  Lord,  (John  iv.  24,)  and  they  that 
worship  him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  truth  ;  and 
Jesus  as  God  is  thus  to  be  worshipped.  "The  flesh 
profiteth  nothing,"  John  vi.  63.  You  are  only  de- 
grading the  Deity  by  such  profane  and  ungodly  notions, 
and  wilfully  shutting  your  eyes  to  that  clear  and  ex- 
press testimony  given  in  the  written  word  as  to  the 
manner  of  worship  God  expects  from  man. 

Let  us  suppose  poison  mixed  with  the  consecrated 
bread  or  consecrated  wine,  are  we  to  be  told  that  this 
entire  poisoned  mass  is  changed  into  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ,  and  therefore  is  deprived  of  its  hurtful  pro- 
perties, and  may  be  safely  partaken  of.  This  your 
church  will  not  presume  to  assert,  because  the  test  of 
the  truth  of  such  an  assertion  is  easily  tried,  and  the 
consecrating  priest  may  himself  make  the  experiment 
in  the  presence  of  you  all ;  and  then,  surely,  if  your 
cluitch  really  possesses,  as  she  asserts  she  does,  the 
power  of  working  miracles — if  her  followers  and  chil- 
dren are  those  who  exclusively  follow  the  commands 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ — he  need  not  ap- 
prehend any  ill  consequences.     They,  said  our  blessed 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       131 

Lord,  meaning  his  faithful  children,  were  endued  in  those 
early  days  with  the  power  of  proving  their  mission  by 
the  working  of  miracles,  which  your  church,  as  we 
have  stated  above,  asserts  has  descended  to,  and  con- 
tinues with  you.  They  shall  take  up  serpents,  and  if 
they  shall  drink  any  deadly  thing  it  shall  not  hurt  them, 
Mark  xvi.  18.  Thus  you  see  your  priest  may  safely 
make  the  experiment,  and  prove  the  truth  of  your  doc- 
trine in  his  own  person  :  and  if  he  fears  to  do  this,  and 
I  anticipate  such  will  be  the  case,  surely  the  entire  sys- 
tem, even  from  this  circumstance,  may  be  known  to  be 
false,  as  your  own  Church  History  furnishes  us  with 
many  instances  of  very  eminent  persons  being  murdered 
by  poisoned  hosts  being  administered  to  them  in  the 
sacrament. 

R. — Abluit  digitos  extergit  et  sumit  ablutionem,  ex- 
tergit  os  et  calicem  quem  operit,  et  picato  corporali  col- 
locat  in  altare  ut  prius.     Deinde  prosequitur  missam. 

T. — He  washes  his  fingers,  and  wipes  them,  and 
drinks  the  oblation.  He  wipes  his  mouth  and  the 
chalice,  which  he  covers,  and  folding  the  corporate 
round  it,  places  it  upon  the  altar  as  at  first.  Then  he 
proceeds  with  the  Mass  : — 

R. — Dicto  post  ultimam  orationem  :  Dominus  vobis- 
cum.     Res. — Et  cum  spiritu  tuo. 

T. — Having  said  after  the  last  prayer  :  The  Lord  be 
with  you.     Res. — And  with  thy  Spirit. 

R. — Dicit  pro  qualitate  missae  vel  benedicimus  Domi- 
no.    Res. — Deo  Gratias. 

T. — He  says,  according  to  the  quality  of  the  Mass, 
either — Let  us  bless  the  Lord.  Res. — Thanks  be  to 
God.  There  are  various  other  endings  according  to  the 
period  of  the  year. 

R. — Dicto  ite  missa  est,  vel  benedicamus  Domino, 
sacerdos  inclinat  se  ante  medium  altaris  et  manibus 
junctis  super  illud  dicit. 

T. — Having  said — Depart,  it  is  the  sending  away, 
(meaning  Mass  is  ended,)  or,  Let  us  bless  the  Lord — the 


132  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

priest  bows  himself  before  the  middle  of  the  altar,  and 
with  his  hands  joined  over  it  says — 

Placeat  tibi,  sancta  Trinitas,  obsequium  servitutis 
meee,  et  prgesta  ut  sacrifieium  quod  oculis  tuae  majestatis 
indignus  obtuli,  tibi  sit  acceptable,  mihique  ct  (minibus 
pro  quibus  illud  obtuli,  sit,  te  miserante,  propitiabile. 
Per  Christum  Dominum  nostrum.     Amen. 

T. — May  the  performance  of  my  service  be  accept- 
able to  thee,  O  blessed  Trinity,  and  grant  that  the  sac- 
rifice which  I,  unworthy,  have  offered  before  the  eyes  of 
thy  Majesty,  may  be  acceptable  to  thee,  and  that  it  may 
be  propitiatory  by  thy  compassion  for  me,  and  for  all 
for  whom  I  have  offered  it ;  through  Christ,  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

Mark  now,  the  priest  prays,  as  you  are  taught  by 
your  church,  that  the  sacrifice  which  has  been  offered, 
may  be  acceptable  and  propitiatory,  that  is,  atoning  for 
his  own  sins  and  those  for  whom  the  offering  is  made. 
This  offering,  as  you  are  taught,  is  the  body  and  blood 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  You  beseech  the  blessed  Trinity, 
one  of  the  Persons  of  whom  is  Jesus  himself,  to  accept 
his  own  body  and  blood  as  an  atonement.  This  atone- 
ment has  been  made  before  by  Jesus  as  man  ;  and  then 
you  sum  up  all  these  inventions  of  man,  by  saying, 
through  Christ  our  Lord — calling  on  Jesus  to  receive 
himself  his  own  body  and  blood  by  his  own  interces- 
sion. I  cannot  understand  this  prayer  ;  and  really,  so  far 
as  understanding  the  meaning  of  many  of  your  most  in- 
consistent prayers,  you  may  as  well  have  them  in  Latin 
as  in  English — for  in  both  they  are  equally  unintelligible. 

R. — Deinde  osculatur  altare,  et  elevatis  oculis  et 
jungens  manus,  caputque  cruci  inclinans  dicit — Bene- 
dicat  nos  Omnipotens  Deus,  et  versus  ad  populum  se- 
mel  tantum  benedicens  etiam  missis  solemnibus  prose- 
quitur. Pater  et  Filius,  »fi  et  Spiritus  Sanctus.  Res. — 
Amen. 

T. — Then  he  kisses  the  altar,  and  lifting  up  his  eyes, 
extending,  raising,  and  joining  his  hands,  and  bowing  his 
head  to  the  cross,  says — May  the  Almighty  God  bless 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  133 

you  ;  and  turning  to  the  people,  pronouncing  tne  oiess- 
ing  only  once,  even  in  solemn  Masses,  he  proceeds, 
saying — Father,  Son,  4*  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 

Here  your  church  has  introduced  a  form  totally  op- 
posed to  God's  express  commandment — bowing  before 
the  cross.  In  the  second  commandment,  which  is  gen- 
erally omitted  in  the  catechism  put  into  the  hands  of 
your  people  by  your  priests,  there  is  an  absolute  and 
positive  prohibition  against  making  the  likeness  of  any 
thing  in  heaven  above,  or  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  in 
the  waters  under  the  earth,  for  the  purpose  of  bowing 
down  before  them,  or  adoring,  or  worshipping  them. 
You  may  say,  you  adore  not  the  cross,  but  him  who  hung 
thereon,  even  Jesus.  Surely,  if  that  be  true,  you  are 
not  to  look  for  him  there,  but  in  heaven.  Have  you  not 
sufficiently  degraded  the  Saviour,  by  teaching  that  his 
glorious  body  and  blood,  which  are  in  heaven,  are  not 
merely  represented,  or  figured,  or  typified  by  the  bread 
and  the  wine,  which  is  the  true  doctrine  of  the  Bible 
and  the  ancient  church  ;  but  that  this  wretched  wafer 
and  this  wine  are  changed  into  them  ;  and  you  pay  this 
false  body  the  same  divine  honor  which  you  should  pay 
to  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory  himself;  you  also  in  total 
and  direct  contempt  of  the  positive  precepts  of  God 
himself,  Exodus  xx.  4,  which  are  their  only  sure  and 
safe  guides,  and  which  your  church,  as  far  forth  as  she 
can,  keeps  from  the  knowledge  of  her  people,  bow  be- 
fore the  image  on  the  cross,  identifying  that  which  was 
made  by  man — the  workmanship  of  man — with  Jesus, 
the  eternal  and  living  God. 

Hear  what  Jesus  himself  says,  John  iv.  23,  24  : 
"  The  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  adorers 
shall  adore  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth  ;  for  the 
Father  seeketh  all  such  to  adore  him.  God  is  a  Spirit, 
and  they  that  adore  him  must  adore  him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth."  Again,  Jesus  says,  "I  and  my  Father  are  one." 
John  x.  30.  God  cannot  be  represented.  Isaiah  xl.  IB. 
Nothing  that  we  make  or  paint  can  resemble  him  ;  and, 
therefore,  it  is  with  the  heart  we  must  worship,  and  also 
12 


134  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

11  in  truth;"  that  is,  in  strict  accordance  with  those 
rules  and  precepts  laid  down  in  the  revealed  word  of 
God — the  holy  Scriptures — the  source  of  all  truth.  Look 
to  Isaiah,  also,  xliv.  9-20  ;  and  you  will  there  see  the 
folly  of  image-making  and  image-worship  clearly  set 
forth.  Hear,  also,  Habakkuk,  iii.  18,  19,  where  wo  is 
expressly  denounced  against  those  who  excuse  the 
making  of  images  and  pictures  for  worship,  saying  they 
are  to  teach  the  ignorant,  and  are  the  book  of  the  un- 
learned— the  very  same  reasons  which  your  church  gives 
to  justify  your  doing  so.  "  What  profiteth  the  graven 
image  that  the  maker  thereof  hath  graven  it  1  The 
molten  image  and  a  teacher  of  lies,  that  the  maker  of 
his  work  trusteth  therein  to  make  dumb  idols.  Wo 
unto  him  that  saith  to  the  wood,  awake — to  the  dumb 
stone,  arise,  it  shall  teach.  Behold  it  is  laid  over  with 
gold  and  silver,  and  there  is  no  truth  at  all  in  the  midst 
of  it."  Mark  the  words  following  : — "But  the  Lord  is 
in  his  holy  temple,  let  all  the  earth  keep  silence  before 
him."  Here  we  learn  from  this  passage  that  the  Lord 
does  not  delegate  his  authority  to  any.  All  the  earth 
are  to  obey  his  commands,  as  set  forth  in  his  revealed 
word,  in  silence  and  with  submission  ;  and  we  find  St. 
Paul,  when  alluding,  as  we  believe,  to  your  church  with 
the  pope  at  its  head,  says  :  "  that  he  sitteth  in  the  tem- 
ple of  God,  showing  himself  as  if  he  were  God."  2 
Thess.  ii.  4,  &c.  &c.  &c.  ;  compare  also  Dan.  vii.  25, 
and  xi.  36. 

It  would  lead  me  too  far  from  my  present  purpose  to 
point  out  to  you  those  prophecies  which  describe  your 
church  most  accurately,  and  foretell  the  final  downfall  of 
this  antiscriptural  power  who  usurps  the  place  of  God, 
and  presumes  to  give  new  laws  contrary  to  those  laid 
down  by  God  in  his  holy  commandments,  and  in  that  sa- 
cred volume,  which  is  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salva- 
tion through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  2  Tim.  iii.  15. 
Your  church  attempts  to  justify  the  use  of  images  by 
the  cherubim  which  God  commanded  Moses  to  make, 
and  to  place  over  the  mercy-seat.  Exod.  xxv.  18. 
We  shall  find  that  so  far  from  this  justifying  the  making 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       135 

of  images  for  the  purpose  of  enlivening  our  devotion  by- 
addressing  those  who  are  represented  by  them,  that  we 
may  learn  that  the  very  contrary  is  taught.  In  the  first 
place  we  may  remark,  that  the  people  saw  not  these 
cherubim  at  all.  They  were  in  the  holy  of  holies,  to 
which  they  had  no  access,  nor  the  high  priest,  but  once 
a  year.  They  could  scarcely  be  seen  by  him,  the  place 
being  dark.  However,  hear  what  God  said  to  Moses  : 
"  And  the  cherubim  shall  stretch  forth  their  wings  on 
high,  covering  the  mercy-seat  with  their  wings,  and 
their  faces  shall  look  one  to  another,  toward  the  mercy- 
seat  shall  the  faces  of  the  cherubim  lie,  and  thou  shalt 
put  the  mercy-seat  above  upon  the  ark,  and  in  the  ark 
thou  shalt  put  the  testimony  that  I  shall  give  thee  :  and 
there  I  will  meet  with  thee,  and  I  will  commune  with 
thee  from  above  the  mercy-seat,  from  between  the  two 
cherubim,  which  are  upon  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  of 
all  things  which  I  will  give  thee  in  commandment  unto 
the  children  of  Israel."     Exod.  xxv.  20-22. 

When  the  high  priest  entered  this  holy  of  holies, 
whom  did  he  address  1  Was  it  the  cherubim  1  No,  but 
God  declared  he  would  answer  from  between  the  cher- 
ubim. Was  there  any  image  or  likeness  made  of  God, 
as  your  church  blasphemously  teaches  should  be  done, 
and  which  is  to  be  seen  in  many  of  your  places  of  wor- 
ship, in  open  defiance  of  God's  own  command !  There 
was  nothing  of  the  kind.  A  voice  answered  the  high 
priest,  or  Moses,  not  from  the  cherubim,  but  from  the 
space  between  them.  Why  were  the  cherubim  placed 
there  by  God's  command,  but  to  teach  you  the  contrast 
between  God  and  any  image,  and  to  show  you  that  God 
can  be  addressed  without  the  intervention  of  any  such 
intermediate  beings  ;  for  surely  neither  Moses  nor  the 
high  priest  would  ever  contemplate  the  worship  of,  or 
bowing  down  to  the  golden  cherubim,  in  God's  presence. 
As  even  in  the  presence  of  an  earthly  king,  all  respect 
must  centre  in  his  person,  so,  as  God  is  present  every- 
where, it  is  downright  and  flagrant  idolatry,  to  givu  the 
images  of  saints  or  angels  any  species  of  worship  or 
adoration.     David,  Psalm  xxx.  1,  calls  upon  God,  and 


136  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

says,  "  Thou  that  dwellest  between  the  cherubim,  shine 
forth."  The  truth  is,  no  passage  can  more  strongly 
show  the  uselessness  of  images  to  enliven  our  devotion, 
or  to  make  our  prayers  more  acceptable,  than  this  very 
one  ;  as,  though  they  were  there  by  God's  express  au- 
thority and  command,  no  worship  was  paid  them  :  they 
were  looked  upon  in  no  other  light  than  that  of  any  or- 
dinary ornamental  work  about  the  ark. 

But  see  how  your  church  resembles  the  Gentiles  of 
whom  St.  Paul  speaks,  Rom.  i.  22.  "  Professing  them- 
selves wise  they  became  fools,  and  they  changed  the 
glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  the  likeness  of  the 
image  of  a  corruptible  man."  And  St.  Stephen,  Acts 
vii.  42,  speaking  of  the  disobedience  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  says,  "  And  God  turned,  and  gave  them  up  to 
serve  the  host  of  heaven."  Thus  you  serve,  and 
address  in  prayers,  not  merely  departed  saints,  but 
the  angels,  or  hosts  of  God,  as  your  prayers  fully 
show. 

Scripture  cannot  contradict  itself.  God's  commands 
are  ever  the  same  as  to  his  worship,  and  it  remains  for 
you  to  justify  the  open  breach  of  one  of  the  plainest 
precepts  given  in  the  Scriptures.  The  introduction  of 
images  into  the  church  was  vehemently  opposed  at  va- 
rious periods.  There  was,  in  the  eighth  century,  a  pow- 
erful party  called  Iconoclasts,  or  image-breakers,  who, 
in  their  zeal,  broke  all  the  idolatrous  images  which 
were  beginning  to  be  introduced  into  the  churches,  and 
several  councils  were  held  upon  the  subject,  and  decrees 
made  for  and  against  their  use.  The  opposition  of  those 
councils  to  each  other,  furnishes  an  additional  argument 
against  their  infallibility,  as  no  third  power  has  been 
fixed  upon  to  decide  which  council  is  the  true  one,  or 
what  those  essentials  are  which  are  necessary  to  consti- 
tute a  true  council  ;  each  party — the  supporters  and 
opposers  of  image-worship — asserting  that  the  decree 
in  their  favor  is  that  which  is  right.  Thus,  in  order 
to  arrive  at  the  truth,  we  must  come  to  the  apostolic 
teaching,  as  set  forth  in  Holy  Scripture,  the  only  safe 
guide. 


OF   THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  137 

R. — In  Missa  Pontificali  ter  benedicitur  ut  in  Pontifi- 
cali  habetur. 

T. — In  a  Pontifical  Mass  the  blessing  is  three  times 
pronounced,  as  is  stated  in  the  pontifical  service. 

R. — Deinde  in  cornu  evangelii  dicto  "  Dominus  vobis- 
cura"  et  initium  vel  sequentia  sancti  evangelii.  Signans 
altare  vel  librum  et  se  ut  supra  in  evangelic  Missae. 
Legit  evangelium  secundum  Johannem.  "  In  principio 
est  verbum"  ut  infra — vel  aliud  evangelium  ut  dictum 
est  in  rubris  generalibus.  Cum  dicit  "  et  verbum  caro 
factum  est,"  genuflectit.     In  fine,  Res — Gratias. 

T. — Then  at  the  Gospel  side  of  the  altar,  having  said 
"  the  Lord  be  with  you,"  and  "  the  initium"  (beginning) 
or  "  the  sequentia?"  (or  the  following)  of  the  blessed  Gos- 
pel, he  signs  the  altar  or  the  book  and  himself  with  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  as  above  in  the  Gospel  of  the  Mass  ; 
he  then  reads  the  Gospel  according  to  John,  chap.  i. — 
"  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,"  as  follows,  or  an- 
other Gospel  as  is  appointed  in  the  general  rubrics. 
When  he  says  "  and  the  Word  was  made  flesh,"  he 
kneels.  At  the  conclusion,  the  Response — Thanks  be 
to  God. 

We  have  now  gone  through  the  canon  of  the  Mass  ; 
it  has  been  my  sincere  wish  to  magnify  or  exaggerate 
nothing  ;  but,  avoiding  all  misrepresentations,  to  give 
every  thing  plainly  and  simply. 

Your  church,  for  her  own  reasons, — chiefly,  we  fear, 
for  the  purpose  of  aggrandizing  herself  in  your  estima- 
tion,— has  sought  to  persuade  you  that  your  priests 
have  received  the  power  from  our  Lord,  of  producing 
him  before  you,  in  the  form  of  bread  and  wine.  The 
natural  consequence  follows  :  you  believe,  and  naturally, 
that  that  church  must  be  the  peculiarly  favored  church 
of  God,  which  is  endowed  with  such  privileges  ;  that 
God  must  look  with  especial  favor  upon  you  ;  and,  con- 
sequently, you  believe  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  that 
any  erroneous  doctrine  could  be  taught  by  a  church  so 
peculiarly  favored  and  protected.  Alas  !  my  dear  breth- 
ren, how  entirely  must  all  this  confidence  vanish,  when 
12* 


138  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

you  refer  to  the  written  Word  of  God, — even  to  your 
own  Scriptures,  many  translations  of  which  I  believe 
not  only  to  be  incorrect,  but  rendered  wilfully  obscure, 
in  order  to  impress  you  with  the  idea  that  they  are  not 
easily  understood  ;  and  you  arc  thus  forced  to  have  re- 
course to  those  guides  whose  interest  it  is  to  keep  you 
from  the  true  light,  and  to  give  you  instead  thereof, 
darkness,  confusion,  and  inconsistency. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  give  you  a  brief  description  of 
the  Protestant  views  respecting  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 
They  are  represented  to  you  as  destroying  the  essential 
parts  of  the  Sacrament,  or  of  having  nothing  spiritual 
or  religious  in  their  service.  Any  person  who  is  con- 
versant with  Holy  Scripture,  must  be  aware  of  the 
figurative  language  so  frequently  used.  Indeed  you  do 
the  same  in  your  Mass,  for  you  constantly  make  the 
chalice  or  cup  represent  his  blood.  Our  blessed  Lord 
calls  himself  a  door,  John  x.  7 — a  vine  tree,  John  xv.  1. 
He  is  called  the  Morning  Star,  Rev.  xxii.  1C — lamb, 
John  xxix.  36  ;  and  we  know  that  those  expressions  are 
not  to  be  understood  literally.  In  like  manner,  our 
Lord  describes  the  spiritual  blessings  conveyed  to  the 
soul  of  the  sincere  believer,  under  the  figure  of  water. 
"  He  that  shall  drink  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him, 
shall  never  thirst,"  John  iv.  14  ;  and  in  John  vi.  35,  to 
which  we  alluded  before,  he  says,  "  I  am  the  bread  of 
life  ;  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  not  hunger,  and  he  that 
believeth  in  me  shall  never  thirst."  Again,  verse  17.  lie 
says,  "  Amen,  amen,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believeth  in 
me  hath  everlasting  life.  I  am  the  bread  of  life."  Our 
Lord  then  says,  verse  52,  "  If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread. 
he  shall  live  forever  ;  and  the  bread  which  I  will  give 
is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world." 
The  Jews,  not  understanding  our  Lord's  meaning,  were 
astonished  at  what  he  said,  and  interpreting  him  literally, 
as  you  are  taught  to  do,  inquired,  "  How  can  this  man 
give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  '?"  Our  Lord  then,  instead  of 
laying  aside  his  figurative  language,  goes  further,  and 
says,  "  Amen,  amen,  I  say  unto  you,  unless  you  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  you  shall 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  139 

not  have  l;fe  in  you.  He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  everlasting  life."  He  had 
said  in  verse  47,  "  He  that  believeth  in  me  hath  ever- 
lasting life ;"  thus  clearly  identifying  the  meaning  of 
eating  the  body  and  drinking  the  blood,  with  believing 
in  him  ;  the  doing  or  neglecting  of  either  being  attended 
with  the  same  consequence. 

If  you  refer  the  eating  his  body,  or  drinking  his 
blood,  to  the  partaking  of  the  consecrated  elements, 
in  a  literal  sense,  certain  consequences  will  necessarily 
follow,  to  which  you  cannot  assent.  One  is,  that  no 
person,  young  or  old,  can  be  saved,  who  does  not  par- 
take of  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  in  the  Eucha- 
rist, at  least  once.  And  secondly,  that  whosoever  does, 
is  certain  of  being  saved ;  and,  therefore,  that  all  your 
vain  forms  and  new  doctrines,  such  as  purgatory,  pri- 
vate confession,  absolution,  extreme  unction,  holy  wa- 
ter, blessed  candles,  &c.  &c,  are  entirely  useless;  as 
the  eating  the  body  and  drinking  the  blood,  in  your 
sense,  in  the  Eucharist,  is  the  grand  essential,  as  the 
doing  so  will  be  blessed  with  eternal  life. 

There  is  another  matter,  also,  to  be  considered,  as 
connected  with  the  literal  interpretation  of  this  passage, 
and  that  is,  that  you  must  receive  both  the  body  and 
the  blood ;  to  this  we  alluded  before.  In  vain  you  say 
you  receive  both  under  one  kind  ;  but  mark  the  expres- 
sion— drink  the  blood,  and  that  you  cannot  do,  while 
vou  are  only  eating  the  wafer  or  bread.  We  must, 
therefore,  search  for  some  other  meaning  of  this  pas- 
sage— "this  saying,"  said  they,  "is  hard,  who  can 
hear  if?"  v.  61;  and  so  it  must  have  appeared  to 
them,  if  they  supposed  our  Blessed  Lord  meant  his 
flesh  and  blood,  literally,  as  the  Jews  were  positively 
prohibited  from  the  drinking  or  using  the  blood  of  any 
manner  of  flesh,  Lev.  xvii.  14.  Observe  how  compre- 
hensive the  prohibition — any  manner  of  flesh;  and  it  is 
most  remarkable,  that  we  find  this  very  prohibition 
continued  by  the  Council  of  the  Apostles,  where  the 
Gentiles  were  expressly  commanded  to  abstain  from 
blood,  Acts  xv.  20,  29.     And  no  exception  whatever  is 


140  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

made  in  favor  of  drinking  the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
as  if  the  Spirit  of  God  foresaw  the  grievous  errors 
which  would  be  introduced  into  the  Church  in  after 
ages.  Even  upon  your  own  principles,  the  body  of  our 
Lord  is  not  permitted,  by  the  Word  of  God,  to  be 
eaten.  "  The  flesh,  with  the  life  thereof,  which  is  the 
blood  thereof,"  is  forbidden,  Gen.  ix.  4.  So  that  the 
flesh  and  the  blood  mingled  together,  are  absolutely  for- 
bidden ;  and  this  restriction  is  continued  in  the  above- 
quoted  passages  from  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles — where 
the  Gentile  converts  are  commanded  to  abstain  from 
eating  things  strangled,  or  from  those  animals  which 
have  not  had  the  blood  drawn  away.  Bring  your  doc- 
trine of  "  Concomitance,"  or  of  both  body  and  blood 
being  united  in  either  species  of  bread  and  wine  to  this 
test,  and  see  whether  it  will  bear  examination.  In  your 
sense,  then,  both  the  body  and  blood  are  absolutely  for- 
bidden.* 

The  Jews,  therefore,  did  not  comprehend  our  Lord's 
meaning  ;  they  understood  not  the  spiritual  doctrine  of 
the  cross,  and,  therefore,  objected  to  what  our  Lord 
said.  But  Jesus  knowing  that  even  his  own  disciples 
(v.  62)  were  murmuring  against  him,  as  they  would 
naturally  do,  from  their  misunderstanding  his  expres- 
sions and  supposing  he  was  teaching  some  new  doc- 
trines opposed  to  the  law  of  Moses,  said — "  Doth  this 
scandalize  1  If,  then,  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  as- 
cend up  where  he  was  before."  The  Jews,  we  are 
told,  v.  41,  murmured,  because  our  Lord  said,  "I  am 
the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven."  They 
interpreted  his  meaning  literally,  when  he  called  him- 
self bread.  He  now  tells  them  that  they  will  see  a 
more  astonishing  thing  than  even  that,  namely,  the  Son 
of  Man  ascending  up  again  into  heaven ;  and  thus 
showing  them,  that  they  were  mistaking  his  meaning 
of  eating  his  body  and  drinking  his  blood — for  they 
would  no  more  have  it  in  their  power  to  do  so  in  a  lit- 

*  The  Latin  Vulgate  says,  Gen.  ix.  4,  "Carnem  cum  sanguine  non 
comedetis."  "  You  shall  not  eat  flesh  with  the  blood ;"  that  is,  to 
gether,  as  you  profess  to  do  in  the  Eucharist. 


OF    THE    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  141 

eral,  carnal  manner,  his  body  having  ascended  to  hea- 
ven, and  being  to  remain  there  at  his  Father's  right 
hand,  than  to  eat  that  bread,  which  he  calls  himself, 
before  he  came  down  from  heaven.  He  then  proceeds 
to  clear  up  his  meaning,  v.  64,  "  It  is  the  Spirit  that 
quickeneth — the  flesh  profiteth  nothing  ;  the  words  that 
I  have  spoken  unto  you  are  spirit  and  life." 

Thus  the  doctrine  of  literally  eating  his  body,  and 
drinking  his  blood,  profits  nothing,  but  leads  us  into 
errors,  mistakes,  and  absurdities,  as  we  see  in  your 
Mass  ;  but  the  spiritual  sense  and  feeling  of  his  death 
enlivens,  and,  by  divine  grace,  animates  or  quickens 
the  soul — the  believer  derives  consolation  and  encour- 
agement in  his  approaches  to  God,  by  a  consciousness 
of  what  his  Saviour  has  suffered  for  him  ;  and  he  feels 
that  he  is  the  only  apparent  door  or  way  by  which  he 
can  obtain  an  entrance  to  eternal  life. 

After  our  blessed  Lord  had,  by  this  truly  divine  dis- 
course, prepared  the  minds  of  his  disciples  for  his 
death,  and  by  those  other  discourses  recorded  by  St. 
John,  before  his  Last  Supper,  John  xiii.  and  following 
chapters  ;  he  instituted  that  sacred  feast  which  has 
been  the  chief  subject  of  the  preceding  pages.  And  it 
is  most  remarkable,  that  the  disciples  no  longer  mur- 
mured at  his  expressions — of  eating  his  body  and  drink- 
ing his  blood,  used  at  his  Last  Supper.  They  no  longer 
objected  to  what  he  said — and  why  1  Because  our  Lord 
had  before  so  fully  explained  his  meaning  that  he  was 
to  be  understood  only  in  a  spiritual  sense.  Besides, 
only  just  before  the  celebration  of  the  Last  Supper,  a 
circumstance  is  recorded,  which  bears  upon  the  ques- 
tion recorded  by  St.  Matthew,  xxv.  31  ;  and  by  all  the 
other  Evangelists — in  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper,  a 
certain  woman  came  and  poured  a  box  of  very  precious 
ointment  upon  our  Lord's  head,  as  he  sat  at  meat.  The 
disciples  complained  of  this  being  an  act  of  great  waste, 
and  that  it  might  have  been  sold  for  much,  and  given  to 
the  poor.  But  our  Lord  rebuked  them  for  troubling  the 
woman  who  had  thus  shown  her  love  and  her  devoted- 
ness  to  his  service,  and  said — "  She  hath  wrought  a 


142  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

good  work  upon  me  ;  for  the  poor  you  have  always  with 
you,  but  me  ye  have  not  always :  for  she,  in  pouring 
this  ointment  upon  my  body,  hath  done  it  for  my  burial." 
Here  our  blessed  Lord  plainly  speaks  of  his  body,  and 
tells  his  disciples  they  are  not  to  have  it  always  with 
them ;  he  tells  them  it  is  to  be  buried — and,  upon  an- 
other occasion,  they  are  told  that  it  ascended  to  God's 
right  hand.  "  Why  stand  you  looking  up  to  heaven,  ye 
men  of  Galilee  ?"  said  the  two  angels  in  white  gar- 
ments, Acts  i.  10,  11,  "this  Jesus  who  is  taken  up 
from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  as  ye  have  seen 
him  going  into  heaven."  Mark,  shall  so  come  ;  not  in 
the  degrading  way  that  your  Church  falsely  tells  you 
he  is  brought  by  your  priest  upon  the  altar  in  the  shape 
of  a  little  round  bit  of  bread,  but  with  glory,  majesty, 
and  power,  to  reward  his  faithful  servants,  and  to  pun- 
ish those  who  have  not  submitted  themselves  to  his 
commands.  Does  it  not  appear  truly  remarkable,  that 
our  Lord  should,  in  the  above-quoted  passage,  speak  of 
"  his  body"  in  such  a  manner  that  when,  a  short  time 
after,  he  gave  the  disciples  the  bread,  and  said,  "  This 
is  my  body,"  they  never  could  have  confounded  the  one 
with  the  other ;  they  took  it  and  the  wine,  therefore,  as 
the  representation  of  that  body  and  blood  which  the 
woman  had  anointed,  and  which  was  shortly  to  be  bro- 
ken and  shed  upon  the  cross,  and  to  be  buried,  and  as- 
cend to  God's  right  hand. 

Our  Lord  had,  also,  upon  another  occasion,  given 
them  instructions  which  they  might  profitably  apply  to 
the  present  case — "  Do  ye  not  understand,"  said  our 
Lord,  "  that  whatsoever  entereth  into  the  mouth,  goeth 
into  the  belly,  and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught  ?"  Matt. 
xv.  17.  To  this  degradation,  your  Roman  Church 
would  reduce  the  real  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord, 
when  you  partake  of  it,  as  you  are  taught  by  her  at  the 
Eucharist.  Thus  you  see  that  the  Apostles  of  our 
Lord  never  contemplated  such  a  doctrine  as  yours. 
Their  blessed  Master  had  fully  instructed  them  upon 
this  subject ;  and  it  is  also  clear  that  their  views  con- 
tinued unchanged,  as  it  was  some  years  after  these 


OF    THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  143 

facts  were  committed  to  writing.  May  the  Lord  direct 
you  to  the  study  of  his  word,  may  it  be  blessed  to 
your  souls,  and  may  you  be  directed  in  the  right 
path,  and  delivered  from  these  absurd  and  wicked  de- 
lusions. 

What,  then,  are  we  to  consider  as  the  eating  the 
body,  and  drinking  the  blood  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  in 
the  Holy  Sacrament  1  Is  it  the  eating  the  consecrated 
bread,  or  drinking  the  consecrated  wine  1  By  no  means ; 
for  we  may  press  with  our  teeth  the  consecrated  bread, 
and  take  with  our  mouths  the  consecrated  wine,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  not  eat  the  body,  or  drink  the  blood  of 
our  Lord.  The  Catechism  of  the  Church  of  England* 
well  and  scripturally  expresses  this,  where,  in  answer 
to  the  question — What  is  the  inward  part,  or  thing  sig- 
nified by  the  outward  and  visible  signs  of  bread  and 
wine  which  the  Lord  commanded  to  be  received  1  We 
are  told — The  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  are, 
verily  and  indeed,  taken  and  received  by  the  faithful  at 
the  Lord's  Supper.  Mark  the  expression — only  by  the 
faithful ;  it  is  by  the  entire  act  of  faith  exhibited  by  the 
faithful  communicant.  Reflect  what  the  feelings  of 
the  believer  are,  when  he  comes  to  the  Lord's  table ; 
there  is  an  acknowledgment  of  the  authority  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  by  whose  appointment  this  feast  was  instituted. 
There  is  an  acknowledgment,  that  it  is  to  the  sufferings 
of  that  body,  broken  and  torn  by  the  thorns,  the  scourg- 
ings,  the  nails,  and  the  spear,  and  to  that  precious  blood 
which  flowed  from  those  wounds,  that  he  is  indebted  for 
pardon.  Surely,  he  will  receive  with  awe  and  with 
gratitude,  those  elements — that  bread  and  that  wine, 
consecrated  or  dedicated  for  such  a  holy  purpose,  by  the 
express  authority  of  his  Saviour,  as  reminding  him  of 
those  means  by  which  man's  salvation  has  been  accom- 
plished ;  and  he  will  feel  assured  that  a  special  blessing 
will  attend  his  obedience  to  his  Master's  dying  precept, 
and  that  a  more  abundant  emanation  of  divine  grace  and 

*  Part  of  this  question  and  answer  is  deceitfully  quoted  by  Roman 
Catholic  writers  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  Transubstantiation  ;  whereas, 
if  the  entire  passage  were  given,  it  would  prove  the  very  reverse. 


144  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

energy  will  be  communicated  to  his  soul — thus  he  truly 
partakes  of  the  body  and  blood  of  his  Saviour. 

The  entire  act,  done  with  faith,  is  eating  the  body, 
and  drinking  the  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of 
which  the  bread  and  the  wine  are  only  the  emblems  es- 
pecially appointed  by  divine  institution.  This  feeling 
of  the  mind,  constitutes  the  eating  of  the  body  and  the 
drinking  the  blood  of  the  Saviour,  to  which  he  himself 
attaches  the  promise  of  eternal  life  ;  John  vi.  55.  And 
that  these  feelings  are  not  exclusively  confined  to  the 
receiving  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  that  this  is  the  view 
taken  by  the  Protestant  churches,  is  clear  from  the  ru- 
bric at  the  communion  of  the  sick,  in  her  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  ;  where,  if  for  some  of  those  reasons  there 
stated,  the  Communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper  cannot  be 
administered,  the  curate  is  enjoined  to  instruct  the  sick 
person — "  That  if  he  do  truly  repent  him  of  his  sins, 
and  steadfastly  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  hath  suffered 
death  upon  the  cross  for  him,  and  shed  his  blood  for  his 
redemption,  earnestly  remembering  the  benefits  he  hath 
therein,  and  giving  him  hearty  thanks  therefor,  he 
doth  eat  and  drink  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Saviour 
Christ,  profitably  to  his  soul's  health,  although  he  does 
not  receive  the  sacrament  with  his  mouth."  Nothing 
can  be  clearer  or  more  to  the  purpose  than  this  passage. 

I  will  now  bring  before  you  two  of  those  prayers  used 
by  the  Protestant  Church ;  and  you  will  find  how  en- 
tirely they  agree  with  Holy  Scripture,  and  what  we 
have  before  shown  to  be  the  doctrine  of  the  Primitive 
Apostolic  Church ;  one  is  the  prayer  immediately  be- 
fore the  consecration,  and  the  other  is  the  prayer  of 
consecration : — 

"  We  do  not  presume  to  come  to  this,  thy  table,  O 
merciful  Lord,  trusting  in  our  own  righteousness,  but  in 
thy  manifold  and  great  mercies.  We  are  not  worthy  so 
much  as  to  gather  up  the  crumbs  under  thy  table  ;  but 
thou  art  the  same  Lord,  whose  property  is  always  to 
have  mercy.  Grant  us,  therefore,  gracious  Lord,  so  to 
eat  the  flesh  of  thy  dear  Son,  and  to  drink  his  blood, 
that  our  sinful  bodies  may  be  made  clean  by  his  body, 


OF    THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  145 

and  our  souls  washed  through  his  most  precious  Wood ; 
and  that  we  may  evermore  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us. 
Amen." 

"  THE    PRAYER    OF    CONSECRATION. 

"  Almighty  God,  and  Heavenly  Father,  who,  of  thy 
tender  rnerc3r,  didst  give  thine  only  Son,  Jesus  Christ, 
to  suffer  death  upon  the  cross  for  our  redemption,  who 
made  there,  by  his  one  oblation  of  himself  once  offered, 
a  full,  perfect,  and  sufficient  sacrifice,  oblation,  and 
satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world  ;  and  did  in*- 
stitute,  and  in  his  holy  Gospel  command  us  to  continue  a 
perpetual  memory  of  that,  his  most  precious  death,  until 
his  coming  again.  Hear  us,  most  merciful  Father,  we 
most  humbly  beseech  thee,  and  grant  that  we,  receiving 
these  thy  creatures  of  bread  and  wine  according  to  thy 
Son,  our  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ's  holy  institution,  in  re- 
membrance of  his  death  and  passion,  may  be  partakers  of 
his  most  blessed  body  and  blood,  who,  in  the  same  night 
that  he  was  betrayed,  took  bread,  (here  the  priest  is  to 
take  the  paten  in  his  hand,)  and  when  he  had  given 
thanks,  he  brake  it,  (and  here  to  break  the  bread,)  and 
gave  it  to  his  disciples,  saying :  take,  eat,  this  is  my 
body,  (here  to  lay  his  hand  upon  all  the  bread,)  which 
is  given  for  you  ;  do  this,  in  remembrance  of  me.  Like- 
wise, after  supper,  he  took  the  cup,  (here  he  is  to  take 
the  cup  into  his  hand,)  and  when  he  had  given  thanks, 
he  gave  it  to  them,  saying:  Drink  ye  all  of  this,  for  this 
(and  here  to  lay  his  hand  upon  every  vessel,  be  it  chal- 
ice or  flagon,  in  which  there  is  any  wine  to  be  conse- 
crated, that  is  to  be  set  apart  for  holy  purposes,  not 
transubstantiated)  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament, 
which  is  shed  for  you  and  for  many,  for  the  remission 
of  sins  :  do  this,  as  oft  as  you  shall  drink  of  it,  in  re- 
membrance of  me.     Amen." 

Thus  you  see  the  Protestant  Church,  in  her  celebra- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper  or  Eucharist,  has  endeavored 
to  adhere  to  the  Word  of  God,  and  to  the  practice  of 
the  ancient  church,  where  that  is  in  conformity  with 
Holy  Scripture.  Can  you  make  the  same  assertion, 
13 


146  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

with  truth,  as  to  your  own  Roman  Church  1  Alas  !  no  ; 
your  multiplied  forms,  your  bowings,  your  signings  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  your  holy  water,  your  blessed 
candles,  your  incense,  we  seek  for  in  vain  in  the  Word 
of  God.  The  truth  is,  we  cannot  conceive  any  two 
things  more,  unlike  than  your  Mass,  as  celebrated  at 
present  by  your  church,  and  the  institution  of  our  bless- 
ed Lord  ;  so  much  so,  that,  as  before  observed,  if  one 
of  the  blessed  apostles,  who  was  present  at  the  first 
communion  by  our  Lord,  beheld  your  Mass,  he  could 
never  recognise  the  one  by  the  other. 

I  will  now  bring  before  you  a  few  of  the  differences 
between  our  Lord's  manner  of  celebration,  and  that  of 
your  Roman  Church. 

1. — Our  Lord  addressed  those  present  in  a  language 
they  understood.  Your  people  understand  not  the  Latin 
which  is  spoken ;  the  priest  calling  you  "  brethren," 
speaks  to  you  in  Latin,  inviting  you  to  do  certain  things 
in  the  Mass.  What  a  mockery  1   How  can  you  comply  ? 

2. — It  was  after  supper  the  communion  was  given. 
You  or  your  priest  dare  not,  under  the  guilt  of  mortal 
sin,  eat  or  drink  any  thing  before,  though  you  may  eat 
and  drink  as  much  as  you  please  immediately  after  ;  and 
thus  you  confound  in  your  stomachs  what  you  eat  and 
drink  of  your  ordinary  food  with  that  you  believe  to  be 
the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord. 

3. — We  read  of  no  "  incense"  being  used  ;  we  hear 
of  no  "  bells"  being  rung  ;  we  hear  of  no  "  crossings  ;" 
we  hear  of  no  moving  about  from  one  side  to  another 
of  the  altar  or  table,  of  no  kneelings  down  and  gettings 
up — making  the  whole  ceremony  appear  like  a  theatrical 
exhibition. 

4. — We  hear  of  no  relics,  holy  bones,  or  blessed  gar- 
ments of  saints,  being  placed  under  the  altar,  as  neces- 
sary to  give  increased  sanctity  to  the  place  and  cere- 
mony ;  upon  your  own  grounds,  most  inconsistently, 
and,  alas  !  impiously  concluding  that  the  body  and  blood 
of  our  Lord  are  not  sufficient  for  such  a  purpose. 

5. — Our  Lord  took  bread  and  broke  it,  and  gave  it  to 
his  disciples,  and  told  them  to  eat.     Your  church  can- 


Of     THE    HUMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  147 

not  do  this,  for  you  say  it  has  become  his  body ;  and, 
instead  of  always  giving  it  to  the  people  present,  you 
pray  that  it  may  be  carried  up  to  heaven,  by  an  angel, 
as  an  offering  for  sin,  when  Jesus  is  there  himself  al- 
ready, his  work  being  finished,  John  xvii.  4 ;  xix.  30. 

6. — You  cannot  break  the  body,  as  Jesus  did  the 
bread,  because  you  say  it  multiplies  at  every  division  ; 
so  that  the  smallest  crumb  or  particle  you  make  of  the 
bread,  becomes  a  body. 

7. — In  solitary  Masses,  the  people  eat  not,  only  the 
priest ;  and  in  some  public  Masses,  oftentimes  the  same 
occurs  ;  therefore,  the  words  of  our  Lord,  as  repeated 
by  you  in  Latin,  are  only  a  mockery,  and  would  appear 
more  absurd  if  you  understood  the  invitation  to  partake, 
which  you  were  not  allowed  to  accept. 

8. — Our  Lord  gave  the  chalice  to  all  present,  and 
said  expressly — "  Drink  ye  all  of  it."  Your  church 
does  not  obey  this  command. 

9. — Our  Lord  says :  "  Take  and  eat :  this  is  my  body." 
You,  instead  of  taking  and  eating  it,  fall  down  and  wor- 
ship that  piece  of  bread  or  wafer,  which  our  Lord  meant 
only  to  represent  his  body  ;  as  he  calls  himself  a  door, 
a  vine,  &c. 

10. — Our  Lord  has  told  us,  to  do  this  in  remembrance 
of  him  ;  and  the  apostle  tells  us  that  by  our  doing  so, 
that  is,  eating  the  bread  and  drinking  the  chalice,  "  we 
show  the  Lord's  death  until  he  come"  from  the  right 
hand  of  God,  1  Cor.  xi.  26,  where  he  now  is.  This  is 
unintelligible,  upon  the  supposition  that  his  body,  blood, 
soul,  and  divinity  are  present  upon  the  altar  already. 
We  are  not  said  to  "  remember"  what  we  are  looking 
at ;  and,  surely,  the  apostle  could  never  have  spoken  of 
the  future  coming  of  the  Lord,  if  he  were  come  already, 
and  if  every  officiating  priest  held  him  in  his  hands. 
We  may  here  remark,  that  the  translation  of  the  original 
words  in  either  Greek  or  Latin,  by  the  expression, 
*'  show,"  does  not  convey  the  true  meaning.  The  words 
signify  "declare,"  "  tell  forth,"  "publish,"  "proclaim." 
Your  church  makes  the  Mass  a  sort  of  history  of  the 
Passion  of  our  Lord  ;  teaching  you  that  each  part  of  the 


148  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Mass  has  a  reference  to  some  circumstance  of  our 
Lord's  sufferings ;  and  thus  you  understand  the  words. 
But  in  the  Eucharist,  we  proclaim  our  belief  in  the 
death  of  the  Saviour.  In  the  Eucharist,  we  declare 
that  he  hath  died  for  sin ;  and  by  our  continuing  to  obey 
his  dying  command  of  celebrating  his  Last  Supper  in 
the  manner  appointed  by  himself,  in  remembrance  of 
him,  we  admit  his  authority,  we  feel  his  presence ;  re- 
membering what  he  himself  has  told  us,  Mat.  xviii.  20 — 
"Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them ;"  and  we  feel 
assured  that  he  will  fulfil  his  promise  that  he  will  never 
be  absent  from  the  government  of  his  church  which  he 
has  established,  until  the  consummation  of  all  things  : 
and  that  the  rules  and  laws  of  that  government,  as  set 
forth  in  Holy  Scripture,  admit  of  no  change,  and  that  no 
power  in  heaven  or  on  earth  can  interfere  with  that  au- 
thority which  Jesus,  as  mediator,  has  received  from  the 
Father. 

11. — Again,  the  disciples  took  the  bread  and  the  wine 
themselves  from  the  hands  of  our  Lord,  and  eat  or 
chewed  the  bread,  like  any  ordinary  food.  Your  priest 
takes  the  wafer  and  places  it  upon  your  tongues,  which 
you  are  expressly  commanded  not  to  chew,  but  to  swal- 
low entire — the  wine  is  not  given  at  all. 

12. — Every  thing  our  Lord  spoke,  he  uttered  in  an 
audible  voice.  Your  priest  says  many  of  the  prayers  to 
himself. 

13. — The  bread  was  eaten  in  our  Lord's  time.  Your 
church  frequently  locks  up  in  a  little  box  that  which  she 
calls  our  Lord's  body,  and  wThich  you  worship  as  such  ; 
and  against  which,  as  we  before  observed,  you  are  cau- 
tioned, Mat.  xxiv.  26. 

14. — There  was  no  mention  by  our  Lord  or  his  apos- 
tles of  prayer  for  saints'  and  angels'  intercession  ;  no 
confession  to  them  of  sins  ;  no  allusion  made  to  their 
merits  at  the  Last  Supper. 

15. — Your  church  also  teaches,  that  in  your  Mass 
there  is  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  both  living  and  dead. 
In  the  Lord's  Supper  we  find  no  marks  of  any  such  ;  as 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       149 

was  stated  in  the  preceding  pages,  there  was  a  full  and 
complete  sacrifice  "finished"  on  Calvary.  And  your 
church  teaches,  that  although  our  Lord  is  not  offered  in 
a  "  bloody"  manner,  yet  still  he  is  in  an  unbloody  man- 
ner in  the  Mass.  Here,  again,  we  have  another  evi- 
dence of  the  inconsistence  of  your  doctrines  with  each 
other.  St.  Paul,  Romans  vi.  9,  says — "  Knowing  that 
Christ  rising  again  from  the  dead,  dieth  now  no  more." 
And  again,  God  says,  Gen.  ix.  4,  "  the  blood  is  the 
life  ;"  but  to  have  his  blood  drunk  by  the  priests,  and 
still  to  believe  his  body  to  be  alive,  requires  the  most 
unbounded  confidence  in  the  teaching  of  your  church, 
which  there  supersedes  the  authority  of  God  himself. 
Nothing,  you  say,  is  impossible  with  God.  We  admit 
this — except  to  assert  that  which  is  untrue.  And  we 
fearlessly  say,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  the  God 
of  holiness  and  truth,  who  caused  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
as  he  tells  us  by  his  inspired  servants,  to  be  written  for 
our  instruction,  to  require  us  to  believe  and  to  practise 
what  he,  in  those  same  Scriptures,  so  openly  condemns. 
His  word  tells  you  the  one  sacrifice  is  perfect  and  suffi- 
cient :  by  your  acts  you  profess  to  disbelieve  it.  St. 
Paul  tells  you,  Heb.  x.  18,  "  there  is  no  more  an  obla- 
tion for  sin  :"  you  disbelieve  St.  Paul,  and  adhere  to 
the  teaching  of  your  false  church,  which  is  only  leading 
you  on  to  destruction. 

I  could  easily  multiply  the  differences  between  your 

nd  the  Lord's  Supper  ;  but  sufficient  have  been 

mentioned  to  show  you   how  little    pretensions    your 

church  has  to  call  herself  apostolical,  as  being  governed 

by  the  apostolic  rules  and  writings. 

I  shall  now  endeavor  to  show  you,  from  your  own 
writers,  at  what  periods  the  different  parts  of  the  Mass 
were  added. 

You  can  easily  discover,  by  reference  to  the  Gospels, 
how  our  Blessed  Lord  instituted  it ;  you  can  there  learn 
the  forms  which  he  used*— how  few  and  how  simple. 
Next  we  come  to  St.  Paul,  and  we  find  in  the  eleventh 
chap,  of  I  Cor.,  to  which  we  have  frequently  referred, 
the  manner  in  which  our  Lord  had  commanded  his 
13* 


150  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Last  Supper  to  be  celebrated.  "  I  have  received  from 
the  Lord,1'  Paul  tells  us,  ver.  23,  "  that  which  also  I 
delivered  unto  you,  that,"  &c.  We  next  bring  you  to 
the  second  century,  and  refer  you  to  the  account  given 
by  Justin  Martyr  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Eucharist 
was  then  celebrated  ;  and  the  only  change  or  addition 
we  find,  is  water  being  used,  and  the  meaning  of  this 
was  showed  you  before  :  a  protff  also  that  the  church  in 
those  days  did  not  believe  in  the  wine  being  changed 
into  the  blood  of  our  Lord ;  as,  if  so,  they  never  icould 
have  had  water  mixed  with  it.  The  reason  of  this  is  plain. 
Mixing  the  water  with  the  wine,  as  we  observed  before, 
had  allusion  to  the  water  and  blood  which  flowed  from 
the  wounded  side  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Surely  the  church 
never  taught  that  the  water  was  changed  into  this  very 
same  ivater  which  flowed  from  his  body.  It  was  used 
only  to  represent  the  water  ;  and,  in  like  manner,  the 
wine  was  never  considered  as  becoming  the  same  blood, 
but  only  representing  it,  like  the  water.  To  believe 
that  the  water  remains  only  common  water,  and  that  the 
wine  becomes  that  very  same  blood,  and  yet  that  they 
are  to  be  mixed  together,  involves  absurdities  utterly 
repugnant  to  common  sense,  as  well  as  to  primitive  be- 
lief. Both  the  bread  and  the  wTine  were  given  to  all  ; 
but  not  a  sentence  do  we  find  about  all  those  vain,  fool- 
ish, and  contradictory  forms  and  ceremonies  which  were 
subsequently  introduced,  and  upon  which  we  have  so 
strongly  commented  in  the  preceding  pages.  No  ele- 
vation of  the  bread  and  wine  ;  no  adoration  of  ele- 
ments :  all  plain  and  simple.  The  truth  is,  the  Roman 
Mass  gradually  assumed  its  present  shape ;  and  as 
new  doctrines  were  introduced,  it  became  necessary  to 
have  additional  prayers  and  forms  to  suit  these  novel- 
ties. 

In  the  fifth  century  the  "  Judica  me  Deus"  and  the 
Introite  were  added  by  Pope  Celestine. 

The  "  Confiteor,"  as  now  used,  filled  with  idolatrous 
petitions,  is  not  older  than  the  eleventh  century.  There 
was  a  public  confession  introduced  by  Bishop  Damasus, 
in  the  fourth  century,  but  it  differed  widely  from  your 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       151 

present  one.  Private  confession  to  a  priest,  in  order  to 
obtain  absolution,  was  unknown  in  those  days. 

The  "  Gloria  in  Excelsis"  was  introduced  by  Pope 
Symmachus  in  the  sixth  century. 

The  "  Kyrie  Eleison,"  and  several  other  short  prayers, 
were  taken  from  the  Greek  Liturgies. 

Gregory  I.,  as  he  is  called,  who  was  bishop  of  Rome 
in  the  sixth,  and  beginning  of  the  seventh  century, 
brought  in  several  most  important  additions  to  the  Mass. 
He  also  introduced  the  Lord's  Prayer  immediately  after 
the  canon  ;  because,  as  he  said,  "  the  apostles  had  a 
custom  of  consecrating  the  oblation  with  this  prayer 
only,"  (Dupin,  De  Vita  Gregorii.)  There  was  little 
notion  in  those  times  of  the  doctrine  of  transubstantia- 
tion. 

The  elevation  or  adoring  the  consecrated  host  is  only 
comparatively  modern.  Bona,  a  Roman  author,  to  whom 
we  have  before  alluded,  and  who  is  considered  of  high 
authority  in  the  Roman  church,  admits  that  this  prac- 
tice is  of  late  introduction.  If  we  are  asked  when  the 
host  was  elevated  and  adored  as  the  body  and  blood  of 
our  Lord,  we  answer,  that  the  practice  was  introduced 
in  the  thirteenth  century.  The  first  constitution  upon 
the  subject,  is  that  of  Honorius  III.,  who  was  pope  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1216.  It  is  as  follows  : — "  That 
priests  should  often  teach  their  people  that  at  the  cele- 
bration of  Mass,  when  the  host  is  lifted  up,  they  should 
kneel  with  respect,  and  that  they  should  also  kneel  when 
the  priest  carries  it  to  any  sick  person." 

Gregory  IX.,  who  succeeded  Honorius,  a.  d.  1227, 
invented  the  custom  of  ringing  a  bell  to  warn  the  peo- 
ple to  fall  down  upon  their  knees  to  adore  the  conse- 
crated host.  Thus  you  perceive  that  many  of  those 
practices  which  you  now  use  at  Mass,  and  which  you 
are  taught  to  believe  were  from  the  beginning,  are  in- 
novations, and  were  utterly  unknown  to  the  Primitive 
Church.  No  sooner  was  the  doctrine  of  transubstan- 
tiation  received  in  the  Roman  Church,  than,  as  we  be- 
fore stated,  numerous  forms  and  doctrines  succeeded. 
The  taking  away  the  cup  from  the  people  followed ; 


152  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

also  the  doctrine  of  "concomitance,"  or  that  both  the  body 
and  blood  were  in  each  species  ;  and  the  elevation  and 
adoration  of  the  host,  none  of  which  practices,  of  course, 
we  can  expect  to  find  before  the  belief  prevailed  of  the 
substance  of  bread  and  the  wine  being  changed  into  the 
very  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

1  have  before  me  a  little  book,  of  which  a  stereotyped 
edition  is  published  by  the  Irish  Catholic  Book  .Society. 
It  is  called  "  Manning's  Short  Way  to  end  Disputes." 
I  refer  you  to  page  119,  &c,  where  there  is  an  en- 
deavor to  show  that  the  Mass  was  said  from  the  earliest 
times  of  Christianity.  If  by  Mass,  we  reply,  you  mean 
the  Lord's  Supper,  or  Eucharist,  Ave  admit  such  to  be 
true.  The  Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated  from  the  be- 
ginning by  our  Lord  himself  first.  There  is  a  quota- 
tion made,  in  this  book,  from  Gregory's  writings,  who 
lived  in  the  sixth  and  seventh  centuries,  as  follows  :  (to 
show  that  Pope  Gregory  said  Mass  in  the  sixth  centu- 
ry, and  that  therefore  the  Mass  is  as  old  as  his  times,) 
— "  Since,  God  willing,  I  shall  say  Mass  thrice  to-dav, 
I  cannot  be  very  long  in  my  discourse  upon  the  Gospel.1' 
But  this  Mass  which  Gregory  said,  was  a  very  differ- 
ent service  from  what  you  use  in  your  chapels,  as  I 
think  we  have  fully  shown  ;  in  fact,  it  was  nothing  but 
the  Lord's  Supper.  Manning  goes  on  to  say,  page  120 
— "The  most  ancient  of  the  fathers  have  left  us  an  ac- 
count of  the  manner  of  celebrating  Mass  in  their  days, 
as  Justin  Martyr."  We  have  already  seen,  in  the 
early  part  of  this  work,  a  quotation  by  one  of  your  own 
authors,  of  the  manner  that,  not  the  Mass,  but  tin; 
Eucharist,  was  celebrated  in  his  day.  Surely  Justin, 
if  now  alive,  and  present  at  your  service,  would  never 
recognise  your  present  practices  as  having  any  resem- 
blance with  the  forms  then  used.  "  The  Roman  Litur- 
gy," Manning  proceeds  to  tell  us,  "  is  likewise  very  an- 
cient, as  appears  from  the  sacramentary  or  ritual  of 
Pope  Gregory  I.,  who  abridged  the  liturgy  of  Pope 
Gelasius,  a  father  of  the  fifth  age,  (this,  we  must  re- 
mind you,  was  the  pope  who  so  expressly  commanded 
both  species  of  bread  and  wine  in  all  cases  to  be  given 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       153 

to  the  people,)  and  he  only  put  it  into  some  better  order, 
with  a  few  inconsiderable  alterations  made  in  it ;  so 
that  any  impartial  reader  of  antiquity  will  find  the 
whole  church  at  Mass  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries, 
and  a  crowd  of  venerable  witnesses  to  attest  it." 

Thus  you  have  an  express  admission  of  what  I  have 
been  endeavoring  to  prove,  that  your  celebration  of 
Mass  now  is  very  far  from  the  original  mode  of  cele- 
bration. It  is  of  these,  what  Manning  calls  "  incon- 
siderable alterations,"  we  complain,  by  which  the  entire 
scope  and  tendency  of  the  sacrament  have  been  per- 
verted. Manning  says,  "  The  substance  or  essence  of 
the  Mass  consists  precisely  in  being  an  unbloody  sacri- 
fice offered  to  God  by  the  priests  of  the  new  law,  upon 
the  altar,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same,  an  external 
oblation  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  under  the 
forms  of  bread  and  wine."  Surely  our  Lord,  or  his 
holy  apostles,  teach  no  such  doctrine,  as  we  have  shown 
before.  There  is  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin,  St.  Paul 
tells  us,  since  the  great  finished  and  complete  sacrifice 
on  Calvary.  Heb.  ix.  28,  x.  18.  The  Lord's  Supper 
was  commemorative,  as  reminding  us  of  what  our  di- 
vine Redeemer  had  done  for  us,  and  was  to  be  continued 
as  he  had  appointed  until  his  coming  again.  Manning 
next  makes  a  most  important  admission,  confirmatory 
of  what  we  have  been  saying  all  through — "  That  as 
to  the  ceremonies,  they  belong  only  to  the  decency  or 
solemnity,  but  are  no  part  of  the  substance  of  the 
Mass  ;  and,  therefore,  as  they  were  gradually  intro- 
duced in  the  primitive  ages,  so,  if  the  church  thought 
fitting,  she  might  even  now  make  alterations  in  them." 

Here  is  a  full  admission  of  the  truth  of  what  we 
have  been  stating  in  the  preceding  pages — that  the 
composition  of  your  Mass  now,  is  very  different  from 
what  it  was  when  called  the  "  Lord's  Supper."  Cere- 
mony after  ceremony  was  added — new  doctrines  were 
introduced  into  the  prayers ;  so  that  at  length  we  have 
it,  as  it  is  at  present,  a  complete  piece  of  patchwork, 
and  even  the  parts  of  this  patchwork  not  arranged  in 
any  order,  or  harmonizing  with  each  other. 


154  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

We  may  now  perceive  the  reason  why  the  Mass  has 
not  been  translated  since  it  assumed  its  present  form. 
The  Latin  is  not  a  living  language,  and  consequently 
its  glaring  inconsisteneies  have  not  been  perceived  by 
the  people,  and  have  been  studiously  kept  from  their 
knowledge  ;  for,  as  for  those  translations  which  are 
placed  in  your  hands,  they  are  only  translations  of  parts 
of  the  Mass  ;  a  considerable  portion  remains  concealed 
in  the  Latin,  untranslated  ;  and  as  for  the  rubrics,  which 
give  directions  about  your  multiplied  and  absurd  forms 
and  ceremonies,  you  are  left  in  utter  ignorance  respect- 
ing them. 

The  old  Roman  ritual  differed  most  essentially  from 
the  state  into  which  it  was  altered  by  Gregory  the 
Great,  as  he  is  styled  in  your  church  ;  and  although 
Manning  admits  that  your  present  Mass  may  be  altered 
and  restored  to  its  primitive  state,  by  being  divested  of 
those  inconsistent  and  contradictory  patchwork  addi- 
tions which  were  subsequently  gradually  introduced, 
and  some  of  them  imposed  by  force  upon  the  people,  as 
we  learn  from  church  history,  yet  this  is  a  reformation 
your  church  never  will  concede.  It  was  the  insisting 
upon  this  being  done — that  the  forms  and  ceremonies 
of  the  church  should  be  restored  to  their  primitive 
state  ;  it  was  the  insisting  that  no  doctrines  should  be 
admitted  or  entertained,  but  such  as  were  sanctioned 
and  taught  by  the  inspired  apostles  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, which  brought  down  the  vengeance  of  the  apos- 
tate Church  of  Rome  upon  all  who  presumed  to  raise 
their  voices  against  her  numerous  heresies.  To  re- 
form, she  never  will,  Never  can  consent.  Her  infallible 
councils  have  sent  forth  certain  decrees,  have  pro- 
nounced certain  anathemas,  against  all  those  who  refuse 
to  submit  to  her  usurped  authority  ;  nor  can  she,  with- 
out openly  compromising  her  claims  to  infallibility,  re- 
trace her  steps,  and  return  to  primitive  and  apostolic 
usage.  The  Pope  claims  to  be  Christ's  vicar  upon 
earth,  asserting  that  on*  Lord  has  delegated  to  him  lull 
power  and  authority  over  his  flock  ;  and,  therefore,  that 
there  can  be  no  human  tribunal  competent  to  call  in 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       155 

question  the  laws  and  rules  which  he  adopts  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  church.  We  have  seen  in  the  preced- 
ing pages  how  little  sanction  this  pretended  claim  of 
your  Popes  derives  from  God's  word. 

I  bring  the  subject  again  before  your  view,  only  to 
show  you  that  the  principles  of  Protestantism  and  Ro- 
manism are  essentially  different ;  and  that  although 
they  may  both  hold  and  do  hold  the  fundamentals  of  the 
Gospel  in  their  common  belief,  yet  they  arrive  at  these 
truths  by  means  of  a  totally  different  process — the  one 
takes  the  Word  of  God,  the  Holy  Scriptures,  for  their 
guide,  as  interpreted  by  Scripture  itself,  which  is  the 
best  comment  upon  doctrinal  points — the  other,  your 
church,  refuses  to  refer  to  Scripture  for  that  purpose, 
as  being  taught  to  believe  implicitly  that  you  have  a 
living,  a  present  infallible  guide  which  can  never  lead 
you  astray.  The  pope  and  the  Roman  church  can 
never  sanction  the  study  of  God's  Word  for  "  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness" — can  never  sanction  the  belief 
that  it  is  profitable  for  "  doctrine" — can  never  admit 
that,  if  blessed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  its  use  can  "  make 
the  man  of  God  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  to  every 
good  work,"  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  Therefore  I  repeat,  until 
you  are  determined,  with  God's  assistance,  to  make  use 
of  the  reason  which  he  has  bestowed  upon  you,  unless 
you  endeavor  to  ascertain  the  grounds  of  those  claims 
by  which  you  are  kept  under  such  spiritual  thraldom, 
you  will  continue  forever,  *subjugated  and  enslaved — 
your  spiritual  bondage  will  never  be  broken,  and  you 
will  remain  wilfully  shutting  your  eyes  to  that  glorious 
day-star,  that  clear  and  brilliant  light  which  emanates 
from  God's  revealed  word. 

But,  you  say,  as  you  are  taught  to  do,  how  can  we 
understand  these  things  1  Has  not  St.  Peter  told  us 
that  there  are  many  things  "  hard  to  be  understood, 
which  the  unlearned  and  unstable  wrest  to  their  own 
destruction!"  Out  of  your  own  mouth  you  are  con- 
demned. You  say  that  the  Scriptures  are  hard  to  be 
understood — that  persons  may  wrest  those  Scriptures 
to  their  own  destruction  ;  and  yet  by  reference  to  your 


156  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

own  writers,  to  those  whose  authority  is  admitted  by 
your  church,  we  shall  find  them  endeavoring  to  prove 
their  claims,  endeavoring  to  establish  their  doctrines,  by 
reference  to  those  very  Scriptures  which  your  church 
teaches  you  to  believe  are  very  insufficient  and  danger- 
ous guides  !  How  can  you  tell  but  that  you  misinterpret 
and  misunderstand  those  very  passages  1  How  can  you 
tell  but  you  wrest  them,  as  in  all  sincerity  we  believe  you 
do,  to  your  own  destruction  1 

Mark,  the  unstable  are  spoken  of  as  wresting  the 
Scriptures  to  their  own  destruction  ;  alas  !  is  not  your 
church  unstable  in  the  extreme  ?  Is  she  now,  by  your 
own  admission,  what  she  was  when  Paul  addressed  his 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  ?  Was  she  the  same  even  seven 
hundred  years  after  our  Lord,  when  the  title  of  Univer- 
sal Bishop  had  been  assumed,  after  Gregory  I.,  who 
was  consecrated  bishop  of  Rome  in  the  year  590,  said 
that  "  whosoever  used  such  a  title  was  the  forerunner 
of  Antichrist."  At  this  period  also,  as  we  have  seen, 
various  changes  and  innovations  had  been  made  in  the 
mode  of  celebrating  the  Eucharist — the  invocation  of 
saints  and  angels — the  use  of  relics  or  holy  bones  and 
garments,  &c.  &c. — prayers  for  the  dead,  and  other 
vain  and  ungodly  doctrines  were  creeping  in,  though 
many  were  raising  their  voices  against  them,  as  we 
learn  when  we  consult  Church  History.  Let  us  next 
advance  to  the  thirteenth  century,  and  now  we  shall 
find  the  popish  weeds  flourishing  most  luxuriously  in 
the  Lord's  vineyard,  and  attaining  an  advance  in  growth 
which  their  first  introducers  could  never  have  anticipa- 
ted. The  absurd  and  blasphemous  doctrine  of  transub- 
stantiation,  with  all  its  false  and  wicked  accompani- 
ments, was  forced  upon  the  people  ;  and  Rome,  the 
Babylon  of  the  Book  of  Revelation,  became  deeply 
stained  with  the  blood  of  those  faithful  witnesses  who 
raised  their  voices  for  the  pure  faith  of  the  Gospel. 
Oh !  it  is  a  heart-rending  account  to  read  of  the  dread- 
ful crusades  excited  by  the  pope  in  those  days  against 
all  who  rebelled  against  his  authority.  Entire  armies 
were  marched  against  those  falsely  called  heretics  ;  and 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       157 

thus  Rome  proved  her  right  to  appropriate  St.  John's 
description  to  herself:  of  being  "drunk  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints,"  (Rev.  xvii.  6.) 

Let  us  advance  to  the  sixteenth  century — we  find 
Rome  again  "  unstable  ;"  we  find  new  doctrines,  or 
what  you  term  matters  of  "  discipline,"  added.  The 
Council  of  Trent,  the  last  Council  held,  widened  the 
breach,  if  possible,  more  than  ever ;  and  your  church, 
Babylon  the  Great  of  Scripture,  now,  my  Roman  Cath- 
olic brethren,  stands  forth  in  those  enlightened  days  an 
unwieldy  and  tottering  structure,  assaulted  on  every 
side  by  weapons  and  engines  supplied  from  God's  ar- 
mory, the  Bible,  abiding  the  time  when  the  inspired 
prophets  of  God  in  numerous  places  declare  she  will  be 
overthrown  and  utterly  destroyed. 

You  quote  many  passages  of  Scripture,  and  you  say 
these  give  support  to  your  system.  Surely,  Scripture 
taught  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  cannot  contradict  itself; 
when  it  apparently  does  so,  that  seeming  contradiction 
and  difficulty  must  be  caused  by  your  not  understanding 
the  meaning  aright.  What  then  should  you  do  ]  Should 
you  have  recourse  to  partial  and  prejudiced  guides, 
whose  interest  and  profit  it  is  to  deceive  you  1  No ; 
you  should  have  recourse  to  God  himself,  who  has  in- 
vited you  to  come  to  him  for  the  counsel  and  direction 
of  his  Spirit ;  and  be  assured,  if  you  sincerely  and  earn- 
estly solicit  advice  and  assistance,  the  apparent  discord 
will  soon  be  resolved  into  harmony,  and  the  agreement 
in  doctrine  and  faith  and  practice  of  the  various  parts 
of  Scripture  will  become  manifest.  Your  church  in- 
quires triumphantly,  does  not  the  reading  of  the  Bible, 
without  due  regard  to  the  church's  authority,  multiply 
sects  and  divisions  1  You  inquire,  do  we  not  see  Pro- 
testantism split  into  numerous  sects  and  parties,  all 
claiming  the  sanction  of  the  Bible  1  It  is  to  be  lamented 
that  such  divisions  exist ;  but  there  were  divisions 
among  the  apostles  themselves,  to  some  of  which  we 
have  alluded  in  the  preceding  pages.  There  were  ever 
divisions  upon  various  points  in  the  church ;  and  men 
with  minds  constituted  as  they  are,  can  never  be 
14 


158  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

brought  to  view  all  things  exactly  alike.  Why  were 
your  numerous  councils  held,  but  as  an  attempt  to 
produce  uniformity  in  belief — and  has  this  succeeded'? 
You  have  council  contradicting  council  ;  one  repealing 
what  the  other  has  determined. 

There  are  several  points  upon  which  your  church  has 
pronounced  no  decision,  and  upon  which  you  are  per- 
mitted to  entertain  various  opinions.  "  The  immaculate 
conception  of  the  Virgin"  is  one,  respecting  which 
there  has  been  the  fiercest  contention.  Even  respect- 
ing your  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  your  own  authors 
differ  widely  as  to  the  mode  of  this  taking  place — some 
assert  one  thing,  others  something  different.  As  to  your 
boasted  infallibility,  as  we  before  remarked,  your  authors 
are  not  agreed  ;  some  placing  it  in  a  general  council, 
others  in  the  popes,  and  others  again  in  popes  and  coun- 
cils united.  No  council  has,  nor,  from  the  very  nature 
of  the  decision,  could  determine  it. 

In  your  system  you  have  no  guide  you  can  safely  fol- 
low ;  strange  to  say,  you  are  deprived  of  even  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  you  admit  to  be  God's  own  ivord,  by  the 
authority  of  your  church,  for  so  unnecessary  does  she 
consider  them  to  uphold  your  system,  or  rather  so  hos- 
tile to  her  professed  doctrines  and  principles  does  she 
know  them  to  be,  that  they  are  suffered  to  remain  locked 
up  in  the  Latin  language  ;  and  those  various  translations 
which  you  have,  possess  no  weight,  no  authority,  but 
must  be  considered  as  the  workmanship  of  private  indi- 
viduals, and  not  of  the  church  at  large,  which  never  of- 
ficially approved  of  any  of  them. 

The  first  symptoms  of  doubt  expressed  by  you  respect- 
ing the  competence  of  your  professing  guides,  are  at 
once  endeavored  to  be  repressed.  The  moment  you  in- 
timate to  your  confessors  the  least  suspicion  of  the  truth 
of  your  church,  your  inquiries  are  silenced,  and  you  are 
told  you  are  committing  mortal  sin  to  allow  your  thoughts 
to  wander  upon  forbidden  ground. 

But  Protestants  do  not  differ  as  widely  as  you  imagine. 
There  are  certain  matters  of  discipline,  such  as  church 
government,  upon  which  manv  conceive  the  inspired 


OF    THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCn.  159 

apostles  have  not  pronounced  decisively,  hence  men 
imagine  that  upon  these  points  freedom  of  opinion  is 
permitted  ;  and  however  we  may  lament  disunion  and 
division,  surely  it  is  better  than  to  have  the  minds  and 
consciences  of  men  so  fettered  that  where  even  funda- 
mental error  is  proposed,  they  are  forced  to  assent  to  it, 
even  against  their  conscientious  convictions.  How, 
your  Church  has  inquired,  will  you  convince  from  Scrip- 
ture a  Unitarian,  that  the  interpretation  which  he  gives 
to  a  passage  of  Scripture,  which  apparently  states  the 
inferiority  of  the  Son  to  the  Father,  is  not  correct. 
Why  has  not  he,  you  ask,  as  just  a  claim  to  interpret  its 
meaning  according  to  his  views,  as  you  have  ?  Where 
is  the  judge  1  Who  is  to  decide  ?  We  answer,  the 
Word  of  God  itself.  It  is  not  by  reference  to  insulated 
texts  that  we  are  to  arrive  at  truth.  By  adopting  this 
plan,  error  and  heresy  have  uniformly  spread  ;  but,  by 
Divine  assistance,  endeavoring  to  view  the  Scriptures 
as  a  whole,  to  ascertain  the  scope  and  design  of  God  in 
giving  us  a  revelation  of  his  will,  and  of  the  nature  of 
that  will,  and  by  comparing  other  passages  together,  thus 
to  arrive  at  the  truth.  This  we  can  do,  so  far  as  the 
essentials  of  the  Gospel  are  concerned,  and  nothing  can 
be  more  express  and  plain  than  the  teaching  of  the 
Scriptures  themselves  upon  this  subject.  Of  this  we 
have,  in  the  preceding  pages, given  you  many  instances; 
thus  the  Unitarian  can  be  shown  those  passages,  those 
numerous  passages  which  speak  of  Jesus  as  God,  which 
give  him  worship  as  God  ;  hence,  then,  he  may  learn 
that  the  contradiction  is  only  apparent — the  one  number 
of  passages  speaking  of  him  as  God,  the  others  as  man  ; 
both  of  which  the  Lord  Jesus  was.  And  so  powerful 
and  so  numerous  are  those  passages  ;  so  utterly  incon- 
sistent with  the  Unitarian  views  are  the  scope  and  de- 
sign of  God's  word,  that,  in  order  to  reconcile  it  to  their 
principles,  they  have  expunged  large  portions  of  the  Bible 
and  also  given  the  most  erroneous  translations — endeav- 
oring not  to  make  their  views  nirree  with  Scripture,  but 
to  pare  away  part,  and  mould  the  remainder  into  a  shape 
corresponding  with  their  false  and  corrupt  principles. 


160  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

Your  church  teaches  that  the  priest  can  bring  the 
body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  upon  your  altar.  The 
Catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent  says  "  De  sac  Eu- 
charistae."  But  now  the  pastors  must  here  explain  that 
not  only  the  true  body  of  Christ,  and  whatsoever  apper- 
tains to  the  true  mode  of  existence  of  a  body,  as  the 
bones  and  nerves,  {veluti  ossa  et  nervos,)  but  also  that 
entire  Christ  is  contained  in  this  sacrament,  and  yet  we 
hear  St.  Paul  saying,  2  Cor.  v.  15,  16,  "  And  Christ 
died  for  all,  that  they  also  who  live  may  not  now  live  to 
themselves,  but  to  him  who  died  for  them  and  rose  again. 
Wherefore,  because  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead,  hence- 
forth we  know  no  man  according  to  the  flesh.  And  if 
we  have  known  Christ  according  to  the  flesh,  but  now  we 
know  him  so  no  longer."  Can  any  thing  be  more  clear- 
ly contradictory  of  the  above  passage,  which  professes 
to  explain  the  nature  of  Christ's  presence  upon  the  altar, 
extracted  from  the  Catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent ! 

When  Jesus  wished  to  prove  to  his  disciples  that  his 
body  was  really  present  before  them  after  his  resurrec- 
tion, and  before  his  ascension  to  the  right  hand  of  God 
his  Father,  he  says,  Luke  xxiv.  39 — "  Handle  me  and 
see,  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones  as  ye  see  me 
have."  Here  our  Lord  appeals  to  two  of  the  senses 
of  his  disciples — sight  and  touch.  You  are  not  per- 
mitted to  use  either.  You  see  neither  his  flesh  nor  his 
bones,  but  a  little  round  wafer  made  of  flour  and  water. 
Nor  are  you  suffered  to  handle  it,  this  you  are  expressly 
prevented  from  doing  by  its  being  placed  upon  your 
tongues  ;  and  yet  your  Church  calls  upon  you  to  believe 
that  his  body  is  before  you.  You  are  taught  to  distrust 
the  efficacy  of  our  Lord's  intercession,  and  to  suppose 
that  you  require  other  intercessors  to  assist  in  offering 
up  your  prayers — when  Jesus  himself  tells  you  that  his 
advocacy  and  his  merits  alone  are  sufficient,  and  that 
"  whatsoever  we  ask  the  Father  in  his  name,  that  we 
shall  receive,"  John  xvi.  23,  21.  You  are  also  taught 
to  offer  up  the  most  blasphemous  prayers  to  the  Virgin, 
and  to  other  saints.  The  Virgin  is  called,  in  one  of  the 
prayers  in  the  breviary,  used  upon  September  9,  "  Spes 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       161 

unica  peccatorum,  &c,"  the  only  hope  of  sinners,  "  by 
thee  we  hope  for  pardon,  and  in  thee,  most  blessed,  is 
the  expectation  of  our  rewards." 

I  could  easily  multiply  instances  of  these  wicked  and 
unscriptural  prayers  to  a  very  great  extent,  but  I  con- 
fine myself  to  your  Mass. 

You  entirely  change  the  design  and  object  of  the 
Supper  of  the  Lord.  But  you  will  here  answer,  Have 
we  not  the  authority  of  the  Church'?  Does  not  our 
Lord  say,  "  that  we  are  to  consider  him  who  does  not 
hear  the  Church  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican  ?" 
Matt,  xviii.  17.  Yes,  our  Lord  does  say  so.  Now  I 
will  not  assume  that  our  Lord  is  only  here  speaking 
concerning  those  private  dissensions  and  disputes, 
which  the  members  of  the  Christian  community  to 
which  both  parties  belong,  have  a  right  to  settle,  and 
not  of  any  grave  matters  of  doctrine,  respecting  which 
there  may  be  a  difference  in  opinion.  I  will  assume 
that  the  Church  has  authority,  and  I  will  show  you 
from  the  verse  following  in  whom  that  authority  was  to 
centre.  "  Amen,"  saith  our  Lord,  "  I  say  unto  you, 
whatsoever  you  shall  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  also 
in  heaven  ;  and  whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon  earth, 
shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven."  Thus  we  see  that  the 
authority  of  binding  and  loosing  was  delegated  or  in- 
trusted to  the  Apostles,  who,  as  we  have  so  often  ob- 
served in  the  preceding  pages,  were  guided  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  their  decisions,  and  were  prevented 
from  committing  any  matter  to  writing  but  that  which 
obtained  the  sanction  of  our  Lord  himself. 

In  the  New  Testament,  therefore — the  inspired  com- 
position of  Christ's  holy  Apostles — we  have  our  rule 
of  faith  ;  his  Church,  or  assemblage  of  the  faithful  be- 
lievers in  him,  was  to  be  governed  by  this  authority. 
Where  was  the  Church  of  Rome  at  this  time  ]  Where 
was  the  Pope  of  Rome  1  Where  were  your  infallible 
decrees  ?  Where  were  all  your  contradictory  forms 
and  ceremonies  1  W'ere  they  taught  by  the  Apostles — 
were  they  sanctioned  by  our  Lord  1  We  find  no  traces 
of  any  such  in  the  sacred  records.  The  same  way  of 
14* 


162  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

salvation  was  at  the  beginning  which  is  now ;  and  that 
way  was  taught  by  our  Lord's  Apostles,  orally  or  by 
word  of  mouth,  after  his  ascension ;  and  was  by  them 
a  iter  wards  committed  to  writing,  and  those  writings 
were  collected  together  and  circulated,  to  prevent  false 
doctrines  being  imposed  upon  the  people  as  truth. 

If  we  hear  the  Church  of  Christ,  if  we  obey  the 
Church  of  Christ,  we  must  disobey  the  Church  of 
Rome.  If  we  follow  the  teaching  of  the  Church  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  set  forth  in  the  writings  of 
his  servants,  we  must  reject  the  teaching  of  your 
Church,  for  the  one  is  contrary  to  the  other.  Why 
does  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  object  to  the  writings 
of  the  holy  Prophets  and  Apostles  being  read  and  con- 
sulted by  you,  but  because  she  well  knows  that  her 
doctrines  are  not  to  be  found  there  ]  She  never  will, 
nor  she  never  can,  notwithstanding  all  her  professions 
about  permitting  you  to  read  the  Scriptures — an  out- 
ward consent  extorted  from  her  by  the  increase  of 
knowledge  and  independence  in  these  free  Protestant 
countries — cordially  suffer  you  to  do  so.  And  see  the 
restrictions  she  lays  upon  you — she  may  in  certain 
cases  permit  you  to  read  them,  but  she  fetters  your 
judgment,  she  chains  up  your  intellect,  and  she  requires 
from  you  the  most  implicit  and  unreserved  submission 
to  the  authority  of  the  Church.  Thus  she  seeks  to 
neutralize  the  very  object  and  design  of  the  Scriptures 
being  given  ;  and  by  a  false  but  craftily  designed  show 
of  liberality,  to  keep  you  still  in  the  most  degrading 
bondage  and  superstition.  She  objects,  and  consistently 
too,  to  the  use  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  by  the  youth  of 
the  land  in  schools,  well  convinced  that  to  the  unbiased 
and  unprejudiced  minds  of  children,  this  study  must  be 
especially  injurious  to  her  interests.  Choose,  therefore, 
between  both  teachers :  the  Apostles,  or  your  Roman 
Church.  What  motive  could  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord 
have  in  deceiving  you  1 — the  Church  of  Rome  has 
many.  May  the  Lord  direct  and  guide  you,  and  lead 
you  in  the  right  way. 

I  have  endeavored,  I  trust,  to  avoid  all  unnecessary 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       163 

cause  of  offence,  and  to  show  you  the  dangerous  state 
in  which  you  are  while  following  false  teachers,  and 
have  directed  you  to  that  sacred  volume  from  whence, 
with  the  Divine  blessing,  you  can  obtain  all  necessary 
information. 

There  are  several  other  erroneous  and  antiscriptural 
tenets  which  you  are  called  upon  to  believe,  and  which 
the  design  of  this  present  work  does  not  suffer  me  to 
notice.  For  all  these  you  will  find  a  remedy  in  the 
writings  of  our  Lord's  inspired  Apostles ;  to  them, 
therefore,  I  refer  you,  and  earnestly  pray  that  their 
words  may  be  blessed  to  your  souls. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  give  a  brief  statement  of  part 
of  your  system,  of  which  the  Roman  laity  know  very 
little — I  mean  what  are  called  in  your  Roman  Missals, 
"  Defects  in  the  Mass."  The  title  of  this  part  in  the 
beginning  of  the  Missal  is — "  de  defectibus  in  cele- 

BRATIONE  MISSARUM  OCCURRENTIBUS." 

Translation. 

DEFECTS  OCCURRING  IN  THE  CELEBRATION  OF  THE  MASSES. 

We  have  said  much  about  the  absurdities  and  anti- 
scriptural  practices  of  your  church  at  the  celebration  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  which  she  has  called  the  Mass ;  but 
the  most  extraordinary  part  of  her  system  is,  that,  after 
having  most  authoritatively  pronounced  that  the  body 
and  blood,  with  the  soul  and  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  is  upon  the  altar,  or  in  the  priest's  hands,  (see 
creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV. ;)  and  after  having  compelled 
you  to  fall  down  and  worship  the  host  as  such,  your  in- 
fallible church  teaches  that  there  are  many  circumstan- 
ces which  may  occur,  and  which  do  frequently  occur, 
which  will  prevent  this  change  taking  place :  so  that 
you  will  only  adore  a  little  round  wafer  made  of  flour 
and  water,  and  a  little  common  wine !  You  may  start 
at  this,  but  it  is  no  invention  of  mine  ;  the  church  to 
which  you  belong  has,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
Missal,  inserted  these  several  cases,  to  which  you  can 
at  once  refer.  It  does  appear  to  me  to  be  one  of  the 
strongest  arguments  against  the  preposterous  claims  of 


164  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

your  church  to  infallibility,  that  you  are  left,  when  you 
attend  your  place  of  worship,  in  doubt  as  to  whether, 
upon  your  own  principles,  you  are  worshipping  the  Sa- 
viour in  the  transubstantiated  elements,  or  are  guilty  of 
the  most  debasing  idolatry. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  instructions  given  by 
your  church  to  your  officiating  priests.  You  will  find 
them  at  the  beginning  of  the  Missal  used  by  the  priest 
at  Mass  : — 

R. — Sacerdos  celebraturus  omnem  adhibeat  diligen- 
tiam  ne  desit  aliquid  ex  requisitis  ad  sacramentum  Eu- 
charistiae  conficiendum.  Potest  autem  defectus  contin- 
gere  ex  parte  materiae  consecrandae,  et  ex  parte  formae 
adhibendae,  et  ex  parte  ministri  conficientis.  Quicquid 
enim  horum  deficit,  scilicet  materia  debita,  forma  cum 
intentione  et  ordo  Sacerdotalis  in  conficiente  non  confi- 
citur  sacramentum.  Et  his  existentibus  quibuscunque 
aliis  deficientibus,  Veritas  adest  sacramenti.  Alii  vero 
sunt  defectus  qui  in  Missae  celebratione  occurrentes,  etsi 
veritatem  sacramenti  non  impediant,  possunt  tamen  aut 
cum  peccato,  aut  cum  scandalo,  contingere. 

T. — The  priest  who  is  about  to  celebrate  Mass,  must 
use  all  diligence,  lest  any  of  those  things  be  wanted 
which  are  requisite  for  the  perfecting  the  sacrament  of 
the  Eucharist.  A  "  defect"  can  happen  on  the  part  of 
the  materials  about  to  be  consecrated,  on  the  part  of  the 
form  to  be  made  use  of,  and  on  the  part  of  the  officiating 
priest ;  for  whichever  of  these  are  wanting,  namely,  the 
proper  materials,  the  form  with  the  intention,  and  the 
priestly  order  in  the  person  officiating,  the  sacrament  is 
not  perfected.  But  if  these  several  things  are  there, 
whatever  other  matters  may  be  wanting,  the  true  sacra- 
ment is  present.  But  there  are  other  defects,  which  oc- 
cur in  the  celebration  of  the  Mass  ;  and  although  they  do 
not  impede  the  truth  of  the  sacrament,  yet  are  attended 
with  sin  and  scandal. 

In  these  instructions  given  to  your  priests,  you  per- 
ceive that  there  are  four  distinct  classes  of  defects,  and 
that  any  of  these  will  vitiate  the  sacrament,  or  prevent 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       165 

the  transubstantiation  taking  place.  These  four  classes 
refer — 

1. — To  the  materials  of  the  bread  and  the  wine. 

2. — To  the  form  used  in  the  consecration  of  the  ele- 
ments. 

3. — To  the  intention  of  the  officiating  priest. 

4. — The  priestly  order  of  the  person  who  celebrates. 

With  respect  to  the  first  class,  we  read  as  follows : 

De  defectibus  materiae. 

T. — Concerning  the  defects  of  the  material. 

Defectus  ex  parte  materiae  possunt  contingere,  si  ali- 
quid  desit  ex  iis,  quae  ad  ipsam  requiruntur,  requiritur 
enim  ut  sit  panis  triticeus  et  vinum  de  vite,  et  ut  hujus- 
modi  materia  consecranda  in  actu  consecrationes  sit  co- 
ram sacerdote. 

T. — Defects  with  respect  to  the  material  can  occur, 
if  any  thing  be  wanting  of  those  which  are  required  for 
its  composition  ;  for  it  is  required  that  the  bread  should 
be  made  of  wheat,  and  the  wine  from  the  vine  or  grape  ; 
and  also  that  the  material  of  the  kind  about  to  be  con- 
secrated, should  in  the  act  of  consecration  be  before  the 
priest. 

De  defectu  panis. 

T.— The  defect  of  the  bread. 

Si  panis  non  sit  triticeus,  vel  si  triticeus  admixtus  sit 
granis  alterius  generis  in  tanta  quantitate  ut  non  maneat 
panis  triticeus,  vel  si  alioqui  corruptus,  non  conficitur  sa- 
cramentum. 

T. — If  the  bread  be  not  made  of  wheat,  or  if  made  of 
wheat  it  be  mixed  with  grains  of  another  kind  of  corn 
in  so  large  a  quantity  as  not  to  remain  wheaten  bread, 
or  if  it  be  otherwise  corrupted,  the  sacrament  is  not 
perfected. 

See  now  the  position  in  which  you  are  placed.  You 
know  nothing  of  the  composition  of  the  wafer — you  have 
not  seen  it  made ;  and  yet  you  are  told,  upon  the  autho- 
rity of  your  infallible  Church,  that  if  it  be  not  made  of 
wheat,  or  if  there  be  too  large  a  mixture  of  other  corn, 


166  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

that  the  words  of  consecration  go  for  nothing,  and  that 
no  change  into  the  body  of  our  Lord  takes  place ;  as  if 
the  power  of  God  were  limited  to  the  change  only  of 
wheaten  bread  into  the  body  of  our  Lord.  Surely  if  it 
be  true  in  the  one  case,  it  must  be  true  in  the  other.  If 
it  be  false  in  the  one  case,  it  must  be  false  in  the  other. 
And  yet  your  church  instructs  you,  that  you  can  never 
be  certain,  notwithstanding  all  the  prayers,  crossings, 
sprinklings,  incensing,  &c.  &c,  that  the  body  of  our 
Lord  is  present  at  all ;  but  that  you  may,  and  for  aught 
you  know  to  the  contrary  often  do,  kneel  down  and  adore 
nothing  but  a  cake  of  bread.  I  have  said  sufficient  to 
prove  to  you  that  no  change  takes  place  in  any  case ; 
that  let  the  composition  of  the  wafer  or  wine  be  what  it 
may,  it  still  remains  the  same  in  substance  and  proper- 
ties, or  "  accidents,"  as  your  church  terms  them  ;  and 
that  our  Lord  merely  used  bread,  not  for  the  purpose 
of  becoming  his  body,  but  of  representing  his  body. 

The  next  passage  in  the  list  of  defects  contains  a 
strange  and  startling  declaration  for  an  infallible  church 
to  make. 

Si  sit  confectus  de  aqua  rosacea,  vel  alterius  distil- 
lationis,  dubium  est,  an  conficiatur. 

T. — If  the  bread  be  made  with  rose-water,  or  with 
any  other  distilled  water,  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  sac- 
rament is  perfected. 

So  you  see  that  your  infallible  church,  with,  as  you 
assert,  our  Lord's  vicar,  the  pope,  at  its  head,  cannot 
decide  in  this  particular  instance.  And  you  know  not 
what  you  worship,  whether  the  Lord  Jesus  or  bread  ; 
and  if  you  ask  the  priest,  he  is  equally  ignorant ;  and  if 
you  go  to  the  pope  for  information,  he  can  give  you  none. 
Now,  really,  I  conceive  that  this  passage  alone  should 
be  sufficient  to  shake  your  confidence  in  your  guides, 
when  they  acknowledge  that  they  cannot  tell  you  whe- 
ther you  are  worshipping  God  or  bread.  See  the  con- 
sequences of  your  unscriptural  and  absurd  doctrines  ! 

There  are  some  other  rubrics  or  directions  under  this 
class  which  I  shall  pass  over,  however  unmeaning  and 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       167 

foolish  they  appear ;  but  the  seventh  I  cannot  refrain 
from  giving  you. 

Si  hostia  consecrata  dispareat  vel  casu  aliquo  ut  vento 
aut  miraculo,  vel  ab  aliquo  animali  accepta  et  nequeat 
reperiri  tunc  altera  consecretur  ab  eo  loco  incipiendo. 
"  Qui  pridie  quam  pateretur,"  facta  ejus  prius  oblatione 
ut  supra. 

T. — If  the  consecrated  host  disappears  either  by  some 
accident,  as  being  blown  away  by  the  wind,  or  by  some 
miracle,  or  taken  away  by  some  animal  and  cannot  be 
found,  then  let  another  be  consecrated,  beginning  with 
the  words  in  that  place — "  Who  the  day  before  he  suf- 
fered ;"  having  first  made  the  oblation  as  above.* 

When  first  I  read  this  rubric  I  was  perfectly  aston- 
ished ;  in  fact,  I  cannot  find  words  to  express  my  utter 
amazement,  how  any  Christian  body  of  men,  professing 
to  acknowledge  the  sacred  Scriptures  as  God's  Word, 
could  publish  such  blasphemy  as  that  the  body  of  our 
Lord,  accompanied,  as  you  teach,  by  his  soul  and  di- 
vinity, could  be  blown  away  by  the  wind,  could  be  car- 
ried off  and  eaten  by  a  dog,  a  cat,  a  rat,  or  a  mouse. 
One  of  the  most  forcible  arguments  put  forward  in  the 
Bible  against  the  worship  of  idols,  is  that  they  cannot 
help  or  defend  themselves — that  they  have  no  sense  of 
feeling,  no  strength.  These  arguments  are  used  in  many 
parts  of  Scripture:  1  Sam.  v.  4;  Isaiah  xliv.  17,  xl. 
18,  xlv.  20;  Jer.  x.  5;  Jer.  xiv.  22,  li.  18;  Psalm 
cxv.  2  ;  and  yet  here  you  teach  that  our  Lord  cannot 

*  We  have  here  a  wilful  mistranslation  of  the  words  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture. It  is  stated  that  the  day  before  our  Lord  suffered,  "Pridie,"  "he 
took  bread,"  &c,  .that  is,  instituted  the  Last  Supper.  This  your  church 
states,  in  order  to  justify  your  having  Mass  only  in  the  morning,  and  as 
an  encouragement  to  her  rules  of  fasting  which  she  enforces,  before  the 
priest  celebrates  Mass,  and  which  could  not  be  adhered  to  until  the 
evening.  It  was  the  night  before  he  suffered  that  the  Last  Supper  was 
instituted.  How  ran  your  church  justify  herself  in  thus  altering  the 
expressions  of  God's  word  to  suit  her  own  corrupt  and  novel  views? 
We  gave  a  similar  instance  before  as  to  her  placing  the  word  "all"  in 
our  Lord's  command  .to  his  disciples  to  eat  ihe  bread.  St.  Paul  tells 
you  (1  Cor.  ii.  23)  that  it  was  "at  night  the  Supper  was  instituted." 
St.  Mark  also  (xiv.  17)  says  it  was  evening.  St.  Matthew  (xxvi.  20) 
also  says  the  same. 


168  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

protect  his  own  body,  but  that  it  may  be  carried  off  and 
eaten  as  above  mentioned.  Be  assured,  when  this  ru- 
bric was  first  appointed,  the  doctrine  of  transubstantia- 
tion  was  unknown.  It  was  merely  upon  the  supposition 
that  the  bread  remained  bread  ;  and  this  we  give  you  as 
an  additional  proof  of  the  novelty  of  this  article  of  your 
creed.  I  gladly  hasten  from  such  a  subject,  so  deroga- 
tory of  the  power  and  dignity  of  the  Godhead. 

We  now  come  to  consider  the  "  Defects  of  the  Wine." 

Si  vinum  sit  factum  penitus  acetum,  vel  penitus  pu- 
tridum,  vel  de  uvis  acerbis  seu  non  maturis  expressum, 
vel  ei  admixtum  tantum  aquae  ut  vinum  sit  corruptum, 
non  conficitur  sacramentum. 

T. — If  the  wine  has  become  entirely  sour,  or  alto- 
gether putrid,  or  made  of  sour  or  unripe  grapes,  or 
mixed  with  so  much  water  that  the  wine  is  corrupted, 
the  sacrament  is  not  perfected  ;  (that  is,  as  was  observed 
before,  no  transubstantiation  takes  place.) 

Now,  how  is  this  to  be  ascertained,  whether  the  wine 
has  been  made  of  unripe  grapes,  or  mixed  with  too 
much  water  ?  Surely  you,  the  members  of  the  congre- 
gation, have  no  means  of  knowing  the  state  of  the  wine  ; 
pure,  unadulterated  wine,  the  real  juice  of  the  grape,  is 
most  difficult  to  be  obtained.  You  are  not  allowed  to 
taste  it ;  but  when  the  chalice  is  raised  up  before  you, 
you  must  kneel  and  worship  you  know  not  what.  You 
cannot  tell  whether  the  change  has  taken  place.  At 
your  ordinary  stations,  a  messenger  is  frequently  sent 
by  the  priest  for  wine  to  the  nearest  public  house.  You 
cannot  tell,  nor  can  the  priest,  how  this  wine  has  been 
adulterated  ;  and,  therefore,  you  may  be  called  upon  to 
worship  only  a  spurious  compound  or  mixture — a  strange 
subject  for  worship !  Thus  you  see  to  what  mistakes 
you  are  exposed.  There  are  several  other  rubrics  con- 
cerning the  wine,  but  sufficient  have  been  brought  be- 
fore you  to  show  you  the  uncertain  nature  of  your  sys- 
tem. 

We  come  next  to  a  new  subject — "  De  defectibus  for- 
mat," or  the  defects  of  form. 


OF    THE    ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  169 

Defectus  ex  parte  formae  possunt  contingere  si  aliquid 
desit  ex  lis,  quae  ad  integritatem  verborum  in  ipsa  con- 
secratione  requiruntur.  Verba  autem  consecrationis, 
quag  sunt  forma  hujus  sacramenti  sunt  haec,  "  Hoc  est 
enim  corpus  meum  ;"  et  "  Hie  est  enim  calix  sanguinis 
mei,  novi  et  aeterni  testamenti  mysterium  fidei,  qui  pro 
vobis  et  pro  multis  effundetur  in  remissionem  peccato- 
rum."  Si  quis  autem  aliquid  diminueret,  vel  immutaret 
de  forma  consecrationis  corporis  et  sanguinis,  et  in  ipsa 
verborum  immutatione  verba  idem  non  significarent,  non 
conficaret  sacramentum.  Si  vero  aliquid  adderit,  quod 
significationem  non  mutavit,  conficeret  quidem  sed 
gravissime  peccaret. 

T. — Defects  in  respect  of  "  form"  can  arise,  if  any 
of  those  words  are  wanting  which  are  required  for  the 
completion  of  the  words  which  make  the  consecration. 
The  words  which  constitute  "  the  form"  of  this  sacra- 
ment are  as  follow — "  For  this  is  my  body,"  and  "  For 
this  is  the  chalice  of  my  blood  of  the  New  and  Eternal 
Testament  which  shall  be  shed  for  you  and  for  many, 
for  the  remission  of  sins."  But  if  any  person  shall 
diminish  or  change  any  thing  of  the  "  form"  of  conse- 
cration of  the  body  and  of  the  blood,  and  if  in  this  change 
of  the  words,  the  words  substituted  do  not  signify  the 
same,  the  sacrament  is  not  perfected.  But  if  any  per- 
son adds  any  thing  which  does  not  change  the  significa- 
tion or  meaning,  he  perfects  the  sacrament,  but  at  the 
same  time  he  is  guilty  of  very  great  sin.* 

Now,  remember  the  words  of  consecration  are  re- 
peated in  a  very  low  voice  ;  you  have,  therefore,  as  you 
cannot  hear  them,  no  possible  means  of  knowing  whether 
they  are  correctly  repeated  or  not,  or  whether  the  priest 
is  guilty  of  such  omissions  or  additions  in  the  words  as 
to  vitiate  the  transubstantiation.  Thus  you  perceive 
here  again  you  are  left  in  doubt ;  you  worship,  for  aught 

*  We  cannot  refrain  from  expressing  our  regret  here  thnt  your  church 
has  not  been  upon  all  occasions  equally  careful  to  follow  the  exact 
words  of  Holy  Scripture.  In  the  preceding  note,  "  upon  the  rubric 
which  directs  what  is  to  be  done  in  case  of  the  consecrated  host  being 
carried  off,"  we  have  alluded  to  two  remarkable  instances  of  wilfid 
change. 

15 


170  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

you  know  to  the  contrary,  upon  your  own  grounds,  wafer 
or  a  piece  of  bread  composed  of  Hour  and  water,  and 
common  wine,  and  this  your  church  imperatively  com- 
mands you  to  do,  though  she  tells  you  at  the  same  time 
that  you  never  can  be  certain  as  to  the  real  nature  of  what 
she  compels  you  to  adore  ;  and  you  blindly  submit  to 
this  tyranny,  though,  if  you  exercised  your  reason  and 
your  judgment,  you  would,  from  this  very  circumstance, 
derive  sufficient  cause  to  throw  off  her  yoke  altog< 

There  are  some  other  rubrics  on  this  subject  of 
"  form,"  but  sufficient  extracts  have  been  brought  be- 
fore you  ;  we  now  proceed  to  consider  another  species 
of  Defects. 

De  defectibus  ministri. 

Concerning  the  defects  of  the  officiating  priest. 

Defectus  ex  parte  ministri,  possunt  contingere  quoad 
ea  quae  in  ipso  requiruntur.  Haec  autem  sunt — In  primis 
intentio ;  deinde  dispositio  animae  ;  dispositio  corporis, 
dispositio  vestis  mentorum,  dispositio  in  ministerio  ipso, 
quoad  ea,  quae  in  ipso  possunt  occurrere. 

T. — Defects  on  the  part  of  the  officiating  priest  or 
minister  may  happen  with  respect  to  those  things  which 
are  required  in  himself  personally.  These  are,  in  the 
first  place,  intention  ;  2dly,  disposition  of  mind  ;  3dly, 
disposition  of  body ;  4thly,  disposition  of  vestments ; 
5thly,  disposition  in  the  ministration  itself  as  to  those 
things  which  can  occur  during  its  performance. 

De  defectu  Intentionis. 
Of  the  defect  of  Intention. 

Si  quis  non  intendit  conficere  sed  delusorie  aliquid 
agere.  Item  si  aliquae  Hostise  ex  oblivione  remaneant 
in  altari  vel  aliqua  pars  vini,  vel  aliqua  llostia  lateat, 
cum  non  intendat  consecrari  nisi  quas  vidit.  Item  si 
quis  habeat  coram  se  undecim  Hostias  ct  intendat  con- 
secrare  solum  decern  non  determinans  quas  decern  in- 
tendit in  his  casibus  non  consccrat  quia  requiratur  in- 
tentio. 

T. — 1.  If  any  priest  does  not  intend  or  design  to 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        171 

complete  the  sacrament,  or  to  transubstantiate.  2.  In 
like  manner,  if  any  hosts  from  forgetfulness  remain  upon 
the  altar.  3.  If  any  part  of  the  wine  or  any  hosts  lie 
concealed,  where  he  only  intends  to  consecrate  those 
he  sees.  4.  Likewise,  if  the  priest  has  before  him  ele- 
ven hosts,  and  intends  to  consecrate  only  ten,  not  de- 
termining which  ten,  in  these  cases  he  does  not  conse- 
crate, that  is,  no  transubstantiation  takes  place,  because 
his  intention  is  wanting. 

Here  you  have  evidence  how  entirely  dependent  you 
are  upon  the  will  of  your  priest.  They  need  never  give 
you  what  they  teach  you  is  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
Lord,  and  thus  a  parish  priest  who  wished  to  punish  you, 
can,  during  the  entire  time  of  his  ministration,  deceive 
you  by  causing  you  to  worship  the  untransubstantiated 
wafers  and  wine.  We  could  enlarge  upon  the  conse- 
quences of  this  most  monstrous  and  absurd  doctrine  ;  in 
fact,  such  would  unsettle  the  whole  of  Christianity,  be- 
cause intention  is  taught  by  )rour  church,  not  only  to  be 
necessary  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,  but  in  all 
your  other  six — baptism,  holy  orders,  and  the  others, 
none  of  which,  upon  this  principle,  can  you  be  sure  of 
being  rightly  administered.  If  this  doctrine  be  true, 
our  Lord  has  suffered  in  vain,  for  he  has  left  his  people 
to  the  will  and  intention  of  his  erring  servants,  some  of 
whom,  as  is  asserted  in  the  above-quoted  rubric,  may 
wish  to  deceive.  And  it  is  quite  clear,  if  a  priest  does 
not  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  which 
many  of  them,  who  have  left  the  Roman  Church,  give 
convincing  proofs  that  they  do  not,  this  change  cannot 
take  place,  and  you  become  guilty  of  the  most  degrading 
idolatry.  It  is  vain  you  say,  the  fault  is  the  pri< 
ours — that  your  intention  is  sincere.  Where  is  your 
authority  for  worshipping  the  host  at  all!  Scripture 
does  not  teach  you  to  do  so  ;  the  practice  of  the  an- 
cient churches  is  against  you,  and  if  you  by  modern 
inventions,  and  the  introduction  of  "will-worship,"  vol- 
untarily entangle  yourselves  in  falsehood  and  error,  you 
have  only  to  abide  by  the  consequences. 

Can  any  thing  be  more  absurd  than  what  is  said  about 


172  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

the  ten  hosts  ;  of  one  of  them,  or  of  some  ot  the  wine, 
lying  concealed,  and  thus  not  being  changed  into  the 
body  and  blood  of  our  Lord?  Surely  all  these  conse- 
quences would  be  avoided  by  retaining  the  primitive 
practice  of  having  a  loaf,  and  from  that  loaf,  conse- 
crated by  prayer  to  God,  breaking  off  pieces  and  giving 
them  to  the  faithful. 

Si  sacerdos  putans  se  tenere  unam  Hostiam,  post 
consecrationem  invenerit  fuisse  duas  simul  junctas,  in 
sumptione  sumat  simul  utramque. 

T. — If  the  priest,  supposing  that  he  holds  one  host, 
after  consecration  finds  that  there  are  two  joined  to- 
gether, let  him  take  and  eat  them  both  at  the  proper 
time  together. 

Here  is  another  instance  of  the  confusion  produced 
by  this  antiscriptural  and  irrational  doctrine.  Does 
the  priest  eat  two  bodies  or  one  body  1  or  if  there  are  a 
number  of  consecrated  hosts  heaped  together,  do  they 
all  then  become  only  one  body,  and  as  they  are  separa- 
ted do  the  bodies  distinctly  and  separately  multiply 
without  a  new  form  of  consecration.  Surely  this  rubric 
must  have  been  ordained  before  transubstantiation  was 
introduced.  The  more  you  examine  this  doctrine  by 
its  consequences,  the  more  unintelligible  it  becomes. 
There  are  several  other  regulations  equally  extraordi- 
nary upon  this  subject,  but  we  have  not  space  to  men- 
tion them  all. 

De  defectibus  dispositionis  animae. 

Of  the  defects  of  the  disposition  of  mind. 

Si  quis  suspensus,  excommunicatus,  degradatus,  ir- 
regularis, vel  alias  canonice  impeditus  celebret,  conficit 
quidem  sacramentum  sed  gravissime  peccat,  tarn  propter 
communionem,  quam  indigne  sumit,  quam  propter  exe- 
cutionem  ordinem,  quae  sibi  erat  interdicta. 

T. — If  any  priest,  being  suspended,  excommunicated, 
degraded,  or  irregular,  or  under  any  other  canonical 
impediment,  celebrates  Mass,  he  perfects  the  sacrament, 
but  he  is  guilty  of  very  heinous  sin,  as  well  on  account 
of  the  communion  which  he  outwardly  partakes  of,  as 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       173 

on  that  of  the  exercise  of  the  office  of  holy  orders, 
which  he  was  forbidden  to  use. 

There  are  several  other  rubrics  upon  the  same  sub- 
ject. 

How,  we  inquire  in  sober  seriousness,  is  it  to  be  sup- 
posed for  a  moment  that  such  a  character  as  that  de- 
scribed above,  could  ever  receive  power  from  God  to 
change  the  wafer  and  wine  into  the  body  and  blood  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  to  hold  him  in  his  hands,  and  to  treat 
that  body  and  that  blood  perhaps  with  the  greatest  in- 
dignity ?  We  cannot  conceive  it  to  be  possible.  Jesus 
once  suffered  humiliation  ;  but  that  is  now  over.  When 
he  comes  upon  earth  again,  it  will  be  with  power  and 
majesty,  to  reward  his  faithful  servants,  and  to  inflict 
his  judgments  upon  those  who  rejected  his  authority,  as 
set  forth  in  the  inspired  writings  of  his  prophets  and 
apostles.  By  this  doctrine  you  may  perceive  that  once 
a  priest,  always  a  priest  ;  and  that  the  ministrations  of 
any  priest  who  may  have  rejected  the  errors  of  your 
church,  and  joined  another  creed,  are,  upon  this  princi- 
ple, equally  efficacious  as  those  who  still  remain  in  sub- 
jection to  her  authority. 

De  defectibus  dispositionis  corporis. 
Concerning  the  defects  of  disposition  of  body. 

Si  quis  non  es  jejunus  post  mediam  noctem,  etiam  post 
sumptionem  solius  aquae,  vel  alterius  potus  aut  cibi  per 
modum  etiam  medicinse,  et  in  quantumcumque  parva 
quantitate,  non  potest  communicare  nee  celebrare. 

If  any  priest  is  not  fasting  from  midnight,  even  after 
the  talttng  of  water  only,  or  of  any  other  drink  or  food 
by  way  of  medicine,  and  let  the  quantity  be  ever  so  small, 
still  lit'  can  neither  communicate  nor  celebrate  Mass. 

Here,  again,  you  are  left  subject  to  the  negligence  or 
mistake  of  the  priest  as  to  tbe  hour  of  midnight ;  and 
you  are  told  by  your  infallible  church  that  the  priest 
can  neither  communicate  nor  celebrate  Mass  if  the  small- 
est portion  of  food  or  drink  has  been  partaken  of  after 
that  time  ;  notwithstanding,  as  we  before  showed,  that 
15* 


174  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

it  was  after  supper  that  the  Eucharist  was  originally 
given  and  celebrated  by  our  Lord  himself.  Where  did 
your  Church  of  Rome  thus  receive  authority  to  unsay 
and  to  forbid  what  the  everlasting  Head  of  the  Church, 
the  chief  Shepherd  himself,  allowed  and  sanctioned  by 
his  own  example  1 

2. — Si  autem  ante  mediam  noctem  cibum  aut  potum 
sumpserit,  etiam  si  post  modum  non  dormierit,  nee  sit 
digestus,  non  peccat,  sed  ob  perturbationem  mentis,  ex 
qua  devotio  tollatur,  consulitur  aliquando  abstinendum. 

T. — But  if  before  midnight  the  priest  shall  partake 
of  food  or  drink,  even  although  he  has  not  slept  after, 
nor  is  it  digested,  yet  he  does  not  sin;  but  on  account 
of  the  disturbance  of  his  mind,  by  reason  of  which  his 
devotional  spirit  is  taken  away,  it  is  better  for  him  to 
abstain  for  some  time  before. 

3. — Si  reliquiae  cibi  remanentes  in  ore  transglutiantur 
non  impediant  communionem,  cum  non  transglutiantur 
per  modum  cibi,  sed  per  modum  salivee.  Idem  dicen- 
dum  si  lavando  os  deglutiatur  stilla  aqua?,  prater  inten- 
tionem. 

T. — If  the  fragments  of  food  remaining  in  the  mouth 
are  swallowed,  they  do  not  prevent  communion,  provi- 
ded they  are  not  swallowed  as  food,  but  only  as  saliva 
or  spittle.  The  same  is  to  be  said  if  a  drop  of  water  be 
swallowed  in  the  washing  the  mouth  unintentionally. 

Can  any  thing  be  more  absurd  than  this  ridiculous 
trifling  upon  the  most  solemn  subjects,  giving  thus  un- 
due importance  to  matters  of  no  consequence  whatever  ; 
inventing  and  laying  down  rules  which  were  nerer  so 
much  as  thought  of  in  the  ancient  church ;  distracting 
the  mind,  which  should  be  occupied  with  the  most  spirit- 
ual contemplations,  and  giving  low,  degrading  notions 
of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and  making  its  efficacy  con- 
sist in  an  adherence  to  outward  forms'? 

It  would  occupy  too  much  space  to  bring  before  you 
many  other  rubrics  and  directions  as  to  how  the  priest 
is  to  act  when  particular  circumstances  occur.  As,  for 
instance,  what  is  to  be  done  should  the  host  be  discov- 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       175 

ered  to  be  broken ;  again,  should  the  host,  after  conse- 
cration, fall  into  the  chalice  ;  again,  should  the  blood  of 
our  Lord  in  winter  become  frozen  ;  again,  should  any 
of  it  fall  to  the  ground.  All  these  instances  are  espe- 
cially provided  against ;  and  thus  we  are  taught  an  ad- 
ditional proof  of  the  comparative  novelty  of  your  boasted 
transubstantiation,  as,  surely,  such  absurdities,  such  tri- 
fling, could  never  have  been  tolerated  upon  the  supposi- 
tion of  Jesus  himself  being  there  present,  body,  blood, 
soul,  and  divinity,  and  apparently  unable  to  assist  or 
protect  himself.  We  also  learn  from  the  rubric  of  what 
is  to  be  done  in  case  of  the  spilling  of  the  blood,  that 
when  this  charge  or  direction  was  given,  the  church 
knew  nothing  of  your  modern  doctrine  of  concomitances, 
or  that  both  body  and  blood  were  united  under  one 
species. 

There  is  one  rubric  more  which  I  cannot  refrain  from 
giving  you,  though  I  do  so  with  regret,  as  such  a  rubric 
is  calculated  to  bring  contempt  upon  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment. However,  as  it  does  exist,  and  as  cases  to  which 
it  applies  must  have  occurred,  I  think  it  better  to  do  so, 
for  the  purpose  of  showing  you  more  clearly  the  delu- 
sive nature  of  your  system,  and,  with  God's  blessing, 
persuading  you  to  provide  a  remedy  : 

Si  sacerdos  evomat  Eucharistiam,  si  species  integrae 
appareant,  reverenter  sumantur,  nisi  nausea  flat.  Tunc 
enim  species  consecratae  caute  separentur,  et  in  aliquo 
loco  sacro  reponantur,  donee  corrumpantur  et  postea  in 
sacrarium  projiciantur.  Quod  si  species  non  appareant 
comburatur  vomitus,  et  cineres  in  sacrarium  mittantur. 

T. — Should  the  priest  vomit  forth  the  Eucharist,  if 
the  species  appear  whole  and  entire,  let  him  swallow 
them  again,  unless  his  stomach  sickens  against  it.  In  such 
case,  let  the  consecrated  species  be  cautiously  separated 
from  whatever  else  he  has  vomited  forth,  and  let  them 
be  laid  up  in  some  holy  place  until  they  are  corrupted,* 

*  In  the  sixteenth  Psalm,  v.  10,  quoted  by  St.  Peter,  (Acts  iii.  27,) 
God  declares  he  will  not  suffer  his  Holy  One  to  see  corruption.  Com- 
pare this  passage  with  many  of  your  rubrics,  and  reconcile  them  if  you 


176  THE    MASS    AND    RUBRICS 

and  after  that  let  them  he  cast  forth  into  the  sacristy. 
But  if  the  species  do  not  appear,  let  the  entire  vomit  be 
burnt,  and  let  the  ashes  be  cast  into  the  sacristy. 

How  to  speak  on  this  wretched  subject — to  find  lan- 
guage sufficiently  strong  to  describe  the  feelings  which 
should  be  aroused  when  we  read  this  rubric,  I  know  not. 
Can  you,  after  reading  the  above  passage,  believe  in  the 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation  1  When  you  see  that 
which  you  have  worshipped — that  which  you  have 
adored  as  God,  lying  in  such  a  state,  the  minute  de- 
scription of  which  is  too  loathsome — too  disgusting  to 
enter  upon — surely  your  natural  reason  must  show  you 
that  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  by  whom 
the  heavens  and  all  the  hosts  of  them  were  created  and 
formed,  could  never  be  placed  under  such  circumstances. 
When  upon  earth,  he  suffered  humiliation  the  most  ex- 
treme, ignominies  of  the  most  debasing  description  ;  but 
see  how,  all  through,  his  character  and  divinity  shone 
forth.  The  declaration  of  the  dying  malefactor ;  the 
confession  of  the  centurion  who  guarded  him  on  the 
cross  ;  the  rending  of  the  rocks  ;  the  supernatural  dark- 
ness ;  the  opening  of  the  graves,  all  proclaimed,  with 
voices  which  never  can  be  silenced,  that  Jesus  was  the 
Son  of  God  ;  that  his  humiliation  was  voluntary,  and 
only  for  a  time,  to  accomplish  that  for  which  he  came 
into  the  world,  namely,  the  salvation  of  sinners.  But, 
brethren,  only  imagine  the  scene  represented  in  the 
above-mentioned  rubric — look  to  the  wretched,  we  say 
■  the  blasphemous  doctrine  as  portrayed  in  the  above  pic- 
ture, which  your  church  has  invented  to  aggrandize 
herself,  and,  we  ask,  how  can  you  hereafter  come  be- 
fore the  judgment-seat  of  that  same  Jesus,  whom  you 
have  insulted,  and,  by  your  system,  endeavored  to  de- 
base and  degrade  ?  I  leave  the  answer  of  this  question 
to  your  own  consciences.  May  the  Lord  direct  you  to 
form  a  right  judgment. 

can.  The  truth  is,  your  entire  system  is  opposed  to  the  teaching  of 
God  in  his  own  word. 


OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.       177 

I  have  now  fulfilled  what  I  proposed  at  the  commence- 
ment of  this  work  to  demonstrate  : — 1.  That  the  Mass 
is  opposed  to  God's  own  word.  2.  That  as  now  cele- 
brated by  you,  it  is  entirely  different  from  the  preaching 
of  the  primitive  and  early  Christian  Church  :  and  3. 
That  one  part  contradicts  another  part,  and  that  there  is 
abundance  of  internal  evidence  in  it,  that  many  of  your 
present  forms  and  prayers  preceded  the  invention  and 
introduction  of  several  of  your  favorite  doctrines. 

To  the  Lord's  guidance  and  direction  may  we  all 
commit  ourselves.  May  he  lead  us  in  the  right  way, 
and  direct  us  to  him,  the  only  name  under  heaven  given 
us  whereby  we  can  be  saved,  even  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  and  only  mediator  and  advocate  with  the  Father. 
Amen. 


THE    END. 


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